Petals on the Blade
by silvergryphon06
Summary: She's not exactly sure what she got into, and she's not sure running into that swordsman was a good idea, but, maybe it was better than she thought. Rated M for future chapters. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: Ok, so, I got this idea in my head and it just would NOT let me be. That being said, I would dearly love some feedback on this, so that I can figure out whether or not to go ahead with this story, so if you find it interesting, do let me know, review or PM or whatever, please. Otherwise, its scrapped to the abyss of my computer till the end of time. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing, except for my OC and a gremlin dog. _**

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><p>The curtains blew gently in the summer breeze, softly pink satin that fluttered with barely a sound in the stirring of air. Outside the window was nothing but a vast view of the sea, huge puffy clouds lazily floating. The room was lavishly furnished, some might say overly so, with silken yellow sheets that covered the enormous bed and wooden furniture that glistened as if made of a bright metal. Ornately framed portraits hung on rich wallpaper. Aside from the air, nothing moved in the room, a whisper of cloth against the hardwood floor, the soft pop of the fireplace, lit even in this heat, a display of the wealthy. The morning sunlight flooded the room cheerily, chasing away all shadows, save one.<p>

It slipped across the walls as if a candle had flickered in the wind, darting past the bed with a mouse's silent scurry. Wafting through the air were soft lilac colored petals, their passing casting the shadows as they sailed through the rays of sunshine. They began to catch at a corner of the room, far from the fire place, collecting into a soft pile that grew bigger with each passing moment. Suddenly, they shifted, melding together until they become a single, solid form. A young woman, perhaps early twenties, at least that was the age she looked. Her hair was a cascade of flowing lavender ringlets, her features soft and fine. Her gaze darted around the room, orbs the color of liquid mercury, and she tilted her head, as if listening. She stepped towards one of the smaller portraits hung near the fireplace on silent, booted feet, the swish of her clothing barely audible. Gently, she lifted the painting, placing it carefully on the floor.

A safe was revealed to her smirking features as she shook her head, curls tumbling over her shoulder and into her eyes at the motion. Patiently, she tucked them back and reached up, placing her ear to the cool metal. The tumblers clicked softly as she turned the dial with but a touch. Tense moments passed and she still didn't stir, slender fingers appearing to coax the clicking noises.

Left, right, back again, a quick spin, repeat…click!

Flashing a grin, she swiftly pulled on the handle, revealing dust covered, but neat stacks of beli. She reached past them and her hands slid across the metallic interior. She felt a bump and pressed, releasing the trap harmlessly, then, stood on her tiptoes, peering inside. Discovering what she was looking for, she retrieved a thin packet of papers. Perhaps on impulse, she took one beli stack as well, shoving her haul into the slender satchel strapped to her thigh. With movements that seemed rather practiced, she closed the safe, spun the dial back to zero and replaced the painting. Nodding in satisfaction, she turned on her heel, moving towards the window when she froze.

Voices drifted to her sensitive ears from behind the closed door near the only window and a panicked look flew across her face. Quickly, she ducked behind the door as the voices drew nearer and she held her breath when the door flung open, almost ramming her right in the nose.

"I'm telling you, sir, it's strange. There hasn't been any word from the men posted at the back door and I have a bad feeling-"

"You always have bad feelings," another voice snapped, male, but a higher octave than the previous speaker. "Who could get in here, anyways? We're three stories up and the only way out is the window and the door, both of which are watched. You worry too much, Hansan."

Footsteps receded as they continued their conversation, coming further into the room. The woman closed her eyes, her brows furrowing in concentration. This was going to take some careful timing.

"With all due respect sir, I-"

"Enough! I'm tired of your constant babbling."

That must have been a dismissal as only one pair of heavy treaded steps came back towards her, the door swiftly being pulled away. The woman's body quickly burst into a silent shower of petals and then they slid under the door as it closed from the other side, careful not to bump into the black boots just in front of them.

Today, however, didn't seem like it was going to be her day. A tiny gust of wind was caused by the door's shutting, stirring the pile of petals and causing them to blow forward suddenly then jerk back. The man who had shut the door, with a heavy black mustache and dark uniform, caught the swirling motion out of the corner of his eye and whipped around, rifle out of its harness and aimed. He fired at the pile and the soft flowers scattered before flying down the hallway, solidifying as they did so and the man gaped. Recovering quickly, he fired again and she barely dodged, ducking around a corner and fleeing at a dead run, her boots thundering on the carpet. A wall came into view and she backpedaled, her feet catching in the thick rug and she lost her balance, slamming into the hard wood.

"Roger's balls," she swore, grasping at her sore shoulder.

Cursing under her breath again, she blindly spun and ran left, hoping like hell there was some place to hide or escape. Another bullet whizzed past her ear, a lilac curl falling from the mane and she glared.

Thankfully, she rounded another corner as another shot rang out and she spotted a window at the far end of the corridor. Speeding up, she charged at it, heart thumping madly in her chest as adrenaline shot into her system. Raising her arms and tucking her chin, she threw herself at the glass and it shattered with a resounding crash. The guard had been right at her heels and his jaw dropped a second time as he watched her body dissolve before his eyes in a burst of lavender, the petals floating lazily, before being swiftly caught in the wind. Gently, the spun in the air before falling to the cobbled street below and he muttered a loud curse before turning on his heel, shouting orders at the top of his lungs.

She didn't hear it, however, as she transformed again, her feet scrambling as she took off down the alley. Narrow streets wound in all directions around her, but she could hear distant shouts and new that she had to hide or lose them. She could see the blazing blue of the sea ahead as she sped up another street. The docks were right in front of her as she panted, her lungs burning with the need for oxygen. There was no time to consider much, so she darted into the crowded street and slowed, attempting to blend into the throng of people, willing her flushed cheeks to cool and her breathing to slow. She walked down the wide street as if she belonged there, weaving easily amongst the thick crowd. The ocean was to her right and a wall of buildings and market stalls were on her left. Small, even teeth worried at her lip. The man had seen her clothes and her hair and she knew it was a unique enough color that she would be spotted instantly. Moving almost entirely on auto-pilot, she strode by a stall, the vendor hawking his colorful swaths of cloth loudly.

So as not to be spotted, she blended into a gaggle of women who stood close to the fabrics a bit away from the shopkeeper. Fingerless gloves eased over the materials, as if she too, were perusing the wares. With a subtle flick of her wrist, she snatched up a length of cotton and, inching to the back of the little group, swept it around her shoulders and twisted the material around her neck, creating a temporary cloak. Silently, she retreated, her steps turning to go in the direction from whence she had just come. She could see men in the uniforms from the manor she had just vacated and she slowed her pace, acting as natural as possible. However, she could see a mustached man pulling various women towards him, peering at them carefully and she felt panic clog her throat again.

"Shit," she muttered.

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><p>Her silvery eyes darted about, looking for a means of escape. Without warning, she felt herself bump into something very hard and smelling of steel, the collision causing her make-shift hood to slip down and her lavender hair peeked out beneath the dark colored fabric. She quickly looked up and what she immediately noted was bright green hair. Then she noticed the scar running down the left eye while the right stared at her, the brow arched in an annoyed expression.<p>

"Watch where you're going," a baritone growled at her roughly, the man's hands clasped behind his head and an idea popped into her head. She was desperate enough to take the chance.

"Sorry, my fault," she murmured, meeting his gaze for a moment with an apologetic expression before she made a move to step past him, tugging her hood down to hide her face again.

Her hand grazed his hip, the opposite one where she had spotted three katanas snugly secured by a sash and she gave a little tug, the slight weight of a small bag in her palm making her smile. She felt him stiffen and she broke out into a run, twisting her body as she sensed the hand coming in from her right to grab her.

"Hey," he yelled after her retreating back, but she didn't turn around.

Well, that would be a diversion enough. She doubted the guardsmen would suspect a thief being the real thief they were looking for. _Always be the unexpected, _came the words unbidden in her ears and she scowled, slipping past several groups of people. Now, to find somewhere the green-haired man wouldn't find her. He was right on her heels, however, and she needed to think of something fast, a lie or an escape, either one would be wonderful about now, as she couldn't just burst into petals in the middle of the street. As she careened down the populous dock, she saw two massive ships just ahead. She sped up and she could feel him sped up behind her. Damn, he was a lot quicker than he looked.

She feinted left, around a group of sailors, then slipped behind them, moving right, hoping it would throw him off long enough for her to disappear. Not bothering to look, she bolted between the ships, randomly selecting the slightly smaller one and ran all the way to the very back, skidding to a stop when she reached the edge of the dock. Not the best time for a swim, she wryly thought. She still had momentum, though, and used it to side-somersault onto a stack of cargo, easily scaling the hap hazardous heaping of the crates.

"Get back here, witch," she heard loudly, somewhere below and to her left, but she ignored it.

Her agile movements had her on the top of the pile in no time and she held her breath as she took a running leap, tumbling smoothly onto the deck of the ship and almost yelping in surprise to feel the slippery surface of grass under her body. Looking around quickly, she spotted the rigging leading up to what she thought might be the crow's nest, though she wasn't certain since it had a pretty decent sized building-looking structure at the top.

She started to move in that direction, but a door on the deck burst open and a kid with a straw hat and a slightly taller man with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth walked out.

"Shit," she said again as the two males spotted her. She felt a hand grab her roughly from behind, spinning her around.

She was face to face with the green-haired man again and he looked most definitely more than annoyed at the moment, his grip like iron on her arms, keeping her still. She could see other people starting to gather on the deck and she cursed her luck with every foul word she had ever heard.

"Give it back," he snarled at her, but she just stared at him like she had no idea what he was talking about. He seemed to be resisting the urge to shake her.

"Now!" he yelled and she looked up at him with wide eyes before she smirked, melting into petals in his grasp. She heard him make a startled noise as she started to slip away in the wind.

"That's so cool!" she heard from her right, thinking it sounded like it came from the kid, but she paid him no heed, bent on escape.

"No, you don't," reached her hearing just as her face disappeared and she winced as something squeezed her tightly. He had managed to catch a fistful of her before she was completely lost to the breeze.

Now she was angry. This was just not her day and she was damned tired of running. So, instead of doing the prudent thing, she solidified once more, her hands on her hips. She threw back her makeshift hood, eyes blazing as he held up a fistful of lilac tinted petals and ignored the tall blond man with the kid as he made heart eyes at her.

"Give me back," she barked at him, holding up her hand to show that he currently held the equivalent of two of her fingers.

"Give me back my beli," he retorted and she scowled fiercely.

"Fine, it's not like I really wanted it anyways," she spat, tossing him the bag which he deftly caught in his free hand.

He released the petals and they swirled towards her outstretched palm, forming her missing fingers. She crossed her arms, knowing she was well and caught at the moment, but her eyes roved constantly. She saw two women, one a voluptuous red-head, the other a willowy brunette, each regarding her with thoughtful expressions. She did a double-take when she spotted a skeleton walk casually behind the two and raised both her brows in surprise. A thickly built man was perched on the railing of the poop deck and a little furry creature was staring up at her with wide eyes. Another man with a nose so long she hadn't thought it possible was also looking at her, but it was a wary glance. The green-haired man was also regarding her with careful scrutiny. She cocked a hip, trying to appear casual.

"Well," she finally asked, the silence making her edgy.

"Well, what?" was the reply and her frown deepened.

"What do you want from me? An apology? I'm sorry. Recompense?"

"Recom-wha?" asked the kid, scratching at his head and looking towards the women with a puzzled expression.

"Paying off your debt, like I make you guys do," the redhead spoke up.

The woman ignored the exchange, her gaze fixed on the hard face of the swordsman, as he obviously was. When he still didn't say anything, she let out an irritated breath and pulled back her new cloak to reveal a snugly-fitted leather thigh. She pulled the stack of beli she had pilfered earlier and offered it with her arm out.

"Here, then, this should more than cover what I had taken," she said coolly and widened her eyes in surprise when the man looked insulted. He turned on his heel and marched to the mast, climbing the ladder without another word.

Now she really felt awkward, letting her arm drop and looking around at the people gathered on the deck. The kid suddenly hopped forward, coming so close that their noses almost touched. She jerked back, startled and her feet seemed to catch on themselves, tripping her. She landed ungracefully on her rump, wincing at the impact as a dull ache shot throbbed in her hind quarters.

"Ow," she whined, rubbing at her derriere tenderly before looking back up and seeing the kid grinning at her.

"Shishishi," he laughed, crossing his arms over a massive scar on his chest. Still grinning, he tilted his head down at her.

"What's your name?"

She didn't answer at first, completely off balance by the strange behavior of these people.

"T-Tiri," she practically squeaked out, any pretense of confidence or suaveness erased by the ache in her bottom.

The boy nodded and clapped his hands behind his head.

"Can you do that thing whenever you want?" he asked suddenly.

She shrugged, folding her legs under her, resigned to the fact that she probably wasn't going anywhere for the moment.

"Sure," was her response and he grinned wider, the scar beneath his eye crinkling.

"Can you fly like that?" he seemed very eager to hear this answer, leaning down with his hands on his knees until he was eye level with her.

"Um…sort of. It's more like floating," she said slowly, quickly adding, "But a strong wind blows up and I end up going wherever it is."

He clapped his hands, straightening suddenly.

"Awesome!" he yelled, his hands going back behind his head and he suddenly looked down at her with a big grin, but his black eyes were glinting, maybe mischief?

"Wanna be my nakama?" the question just about made her fall back in absolute shock as a chorus of voices rose up across the deck.

Why did she have to pick this weird ship to board? She asked herself with a groan.


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: So, here's chapter two, please let me know what you all think and if I should continue (and if I'm staying IC, I struggled with that on this one...I hate introduction scenes like this, but they are a neccessary evil, at times). I realize the acceptance thing happened quick, but I felt that, Brooke being a good example, once Luffy makes up his mind, its done. At any rate, feel free to skip down if you like, or not. Read, enjoy, and stay tuned! I'm rather enjoying this myself._**

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><p>Tiri groaned again, throwing her arm over her eyes before lifting it and hopping lightly to her feet with a fist at her hip.<p>

"You don't even know me," she huffed, her scowl even deeper now.

"I know you're a good person. You gave back Zoro's beli. Not even Nami would do that," he laughed, running a hand across his nose.

The redhead pounced on him, grabbing at his face and Tiri stepped back in shock when the skin stretched to an unbelievable length before snapping back into place.

"What did you say, baka?" she screeched at him, whacking in the back of his head with a fist, making Tiri wince.

"Owww, Nami, what was that for?" the kid wailed, lifting his arms, but still laughing as the woman chased him across the deck.

It continued for a good ten minutes before the woman, Nami, finally relented and Tiri looked at the kid with his hat and something clicked in her mind.

"You're Straw Hat Luffy, yes?" she asked with a sly smile.

"Yep," he said puffing out his chest with a grin.

She returned the grin, tilting her head as the lavender curls of her hair curved against her cheek.

"Alright, I'll join," she said, shrugging lightly. The other crew members, except the brunette, fell to the deck with loud thuds with a sharp cry.

"Just like that?" asked the guy with the long nose. "She could be a marine for all we know!"

Luffy looked at him with a frown and turned back to Tiri. "Are you a marine?"

"Nope," she answered truthfully. "I'm actually kind of a pirate myself."

The captain nodded and grinned.

"See?" he said, looking at the others with his hands once more behind his head.

"But," Tiri said, taking the packet out of her satchel. "I need to get these as far away from this island as possible. Can you do that?"

"No problem," Luffy responded, not even curiosity in his gaze, which astonished her immensely.

"Alright then," she smiled, stuffing the papers back into her satchel, before stretching her arms high above her head.

The redhead checked the round bauble on her arm and Tiri recognized a Log Pose.

"We need to get going anyway. Let's get ready to set sail. Have you ever been on a ship before?" she aimed the question at the lavender-haired woman, who nodded with a smile.

Nami then extended her hand, which Tiri took in a firm handshake.

"I'm Nami," she said and Tiri nodded politely.

"A pleasure," she responded.

"The pleasure is all mine, Tiri-saaaan," the blond man let out in a sing-song, and Tiri fought not to wince. Suddenly, she was bent backwards, lithe arms sliding around her waist and upper back. She was looking up into soulful eyes, a curly eyebrow arched.

"I am Sanji, slave to your every whim," he purred and it was such a ridiculous statement that Tiri bit her lip trying not to laugh at the man, that was just rude. Just as quickly she was dropped unceremoniously as his nose started to bleed and he was spinning in a strange way.

"What beautiful lips, that she would call my attention to them," he gushed and she furrowed her brow, rubbing her twice thumped rear.

A really burly arm pulled her up and Tiri was rather amazed at the clank she heard when he straightened, the thick chain around his neck clanging against his chest.

"Franky," he said, pointing to himself before striking a pose that Tiri couldn't help giggling at. "Or should I say, SUUUPPA Franky!"

She shook her head, ringlets tickling her ear and she pushed them back. The long-nosed man that was still looking at her with such suspicion just nodded his head and she returned the gesture.

"I'm Captain Usopp," he said with a straight face, but Tiri found herself doubting him, though she didn't show it. Best not to burn bridges.

The tall brunette approached her with a friendly smile that even reached her lovely blue eyes and they touched palms courteously.

"It is nice to make your acquaintance, Tiri-san. I am Nico Robin."

"Yohohohoho, and I'm Dead Bones Brooke, Sooooooul King!" the skeleton cheerily proclaimed and Tiri jumped back, startled.

"You-you talk?" she squeaked, her skin crawling in an unpleasant way.

"He sings too!" Luffy crowed happily. "You're almost as cool as he is."

Tiri took that as the compliment it was meant as, before discarding her cloak with a flourish, her hands resting on her hips comfortably. She glanced up at the building at the top of the mast, where the swordsman had disappeared to.

"I take it that man is the infamous Roronoa Zoro?" she asked softly.

"How'd you know?" asked the little furry creature and she whipped her head around, surprised for the umpteenth time that day.

"There are wanted posters of you guys, Doctor Chopper-san," she said as respectfully as possible, watching him squirm in delight at her tone.

"You'll never make me happy like that, idiot," he squealed, wriggling his hips in obvious pleasure.

She turned her attention back to the mast, looking up before rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. She really had to work on her manner or she was going to wind up in even more trouble next time.

"I guess I didn't exactly make the best impression on him, did I?" her silvery eyes hesitant and it looked strange on her.

"He'll forget by dinnertime, the marimo is like that," Sanji said, lighting a new cigarette and flicking the match casually. "Especially towards someone as lovely as you," he grinned.

Tiri chuckled and pivoted on her heel, her gaze landing on the navigator.

"So, what's my first task, Nami-san?" she asked with eyes that sparkled. This had worked out better than she could have planned.

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><p>Within the hour, the Thousand Sunny had smoothly slid out of the harbor, sails unfurled and full with a westward wind. Tiri had followed orders to the letter, moving about the ship like she had been a sailor all her life. Luffy laughed and Nami smiled at her easily, complimenting her on her quick learning.<p>

"I've spent some time with people who were pirates," she said simply, not elaborating, but it explained enough.

Curious, but not really feeling comfortable enough to climb up the mast where the crow's nest lay to speak with the green-haired swordsman, she instead allowed the furry doctor to lead her about the ship, a small smile curving her lips. At least she'd made a good impression on some members of the crew. She noticed Sanji with tears running down his face and decided the man, while flattering, was just too emotional. Chopper led her to his office first, then all over the ship and Tiri was highly impressed by the ingenuity of the design, telling Franky so at dinner when she learned that he had built it.

"Aw, that's nice of you to say," the big man said with a bright red flush in his cheeks.

Zoro walked in then, his brow arching when he saw her sitting at the table with the others. Sanji immediately jumped him.

"You're late, you shitty marimo," he yelled, but Zoro just grunted and sat down near the end of the table.

"What's she doing here?" he asked of Luffy, jerking his head in her direction, which immediately pissed her off.

"I'm right here, bonehead, you can ask me," she snapped but he ignored her, which only made her madder, but Luffy cut her off unintentionally as she was opening her mouth.

"She's nakama," he grinned and Zoro grunted again, eyeing her sourly before shrugging and digging into his plate.

Tiri could feel the heat rising into her cheeks and bit her tongue hard. She'd deal with it later. Pushing her fury into the back of her mind, she instead forced herself to begin a pleasant conversation with Robin. The woman was incredibly intelligent and Tiri was soon genuinely enjoying herself. She had interests in a wide variety of topics and Robin invited her to spend time in the library and borrow some of her books.

'That's very kind of you, Robin-san," Tiri said with a pleased smile.

"Not at all, it would be nice to have someone else to talk about books with," Robin chuckled.

"Marimo, since you were late, you get to clean up the dishes," Sanji snipped as he placed the dirty plates and utensils in the sink.

"Since when did you start giving me orders?" the swordsman snarled back.

"I'd be happy to take care of them, Sanji-san," Tiri offered cupping her chin in her palms and smiled at the heart eyes she received for her toubles.

"You're so sweet, Tiri-san, but the shitty marimo gets that dirty job. Besides, I couldn't stand myself if you're beautiful skin got wrinkled from the water," he cooed at her and she shook her head, lilac curls covering her eyes and she pushed them back impatiently. Then the cook's nose started to bleed and she looked at him bewildered as to what she had done to get that reaction when Zoro's voice cut through her thoughts.

"She should do it, ero-cook, since she's the one who took my beli," he grumbled, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Who asked you," she whipped around, her face resembling something evil and fanged, making Usopp and Chopper cower from her with fear.

"She-She looks just like Nami," they said together, their eyes wide with fright.

Zoro, however, was unfazed, and Tiri gritted her teeth in irritation. It wasn't like she had an option about it, but, then, they didn't know that. She let out a breath. She'd try to explain it to him.

"Why don't I help Bonehead with the dishes?" she tried again, but Zoro just glared at her. She felt a small bit of satisfaction that she'd gotten to him at least a little rise out of him. She squelched it though. The last thing she needed to do was antagonize any of her new nakama.

The others went their separate ways, preparing the ship for the coming night on the open sea and Tiri frowned. Zoro went to the sink, grumbling the entire time and ignoring her presence. Well, she could be stubborn too. She stood, carrying her plate and glass to the sink. Standing near him, she placed them in the soapy water, and then moved to the other side of the swordsman, picking up a nearby dishtowel. She began drying and Zoro turned his head and shot her a glower.

"I didn't ask you for help, witch," he snarked at her and she returned his stare.

"So I didn't hear, Bonehead," she returned. If he was going to resort to name-calling, then he started it.

His scowl deepened and he started washing the dishes in his hand with more vigor. He practically threw the next plate at her and she caught it, the slickness of the soap making it almost too slippery to grip. She slowly dried it and placed it neatly on top of the other.

"You're not rinsing them," she pointed out, but he didn't respond, just kept scrubbing.

The next one was too slippery and it slid from her hand to fall to the floor, shattering. That tore it. She threw down the rag, silvery eyes flashing.

"What is your problem, Bonehead?"

"Nothing," he grumbled, not lifting his head.

Grumbling under her breath, she picked up the cloth again, careful to grasp the plates firmly. Something wafted across her nose and she wrinkled it in reaction. She leaned closer to Zoro, the smell emanating from the water. He jumped when she leaned across his arm.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" he yelled at her, but she paid him no mind, dipping her finger into the water and closing her eyes. Suddenly, the fragrance of lilacs filled the kitchen nicely and he sniffed.

"What'd you do?" he asked suspiciously, taking his hands out of the water.

"I made them smell better, Bonehead. Something wrong with your nose?" she retorted, a hand on her hip and scowling.

"No," he groused back, rubbing damp hand against it before carefully putting his hands back into the water.

She huffed quietly and resumed her chosen chore, wiping the inside of a glass thoroughly. Without warning, he looked at her sharply.

"What are you, witch?" he asked and she raised a brow.

"A woman, obviously. You must have a bad eye if you can't figure that out, Bonehead. Or maybe you're just that thickheaded," she really hadn't meant that as viciously as she had made it sound, but he had a knack for getting under her skin that was matchless.

He growled at her then and she saw that eye she had just accused flash dangerously, but she didn't care. The mercurial color of her eyes glinted in a way that was akin to heat lightning over the sea. Tiri was pushing the swordsman and she knew it. His gaze slid over here at her words, making her stomach flip in a really weird way, but then they snapped back to lock on her face. What was with that look?

"That wasn't what I meant and you know it. Are you a devil fruit user?"

She let out a breath, setting down the glass and crossing her arms, leaning a hip against the counter. It was a fair question, considering they were supposed to be nakama. She looked at her boots, crossed casually at the ankle and then lifted her head, meeting his stare with a frown.

"Yes, I ate a Hana Hana no Mi," she answered finally. There… that was civil and gave him exactly what he asked. He didn't seem satisfied though.

"Why?" he asked and she knew he wasn't referring to her abilities.

"Because I needed a distraction," she replied, very cryptically, if truthful. She reached past his chest and plucked a dish from the warm water, rubbing it gently with the cloth, still leaning against the counter.

"Why?" he repeated. Damn the persistent bastard.

"I told you," she said with a tone that implied the conversation was over. She placed the dish with the others and then grunted with surprise.

She had blinked and then he was right in front of her, so close that she could smell him, metallic, like steel. His gaze hit her like a peal of thunder, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Tiri sniffed, refusing to be impressed by the power rolling off him in waves. He was trying to intimidate her, make her back down, back up, retreat. Not for all the treasure on the Grand Line, she thought with a scowl. She crossed her own arms loosely beneath her breasts, watching his eye twitch and she tilted her head. His lips thinned and she found herself thinking that must have been impossible for the man not to be handsome in some fashion. Her eyes widened a fraction; where the hell had that come from?

He must have seen her reaction, but misinterpreted it as her caving under his haki, immediately towering over her and pressing his perceived advantage.

"Why?" he asked for the third time and her gaze narrowed, the hands resting on her arms tightening their grip.

"I was bored and thought a good-looking man chasing me would be a nice distraction," she replied, sarcasm laced in her tone.

He seemed to have missed it though, his face registering shock, taking a step back, as if in caution. Feeling the tension, but also that the tables may have turned, she pushed herself off from the counter and moving forward, their arms brushing and she felt a tiny shock at the contact. Hmm, that was interesting. Maybe he felt it too, but his face became even more unreadable than before. Silence hung between them heavily, staring at one another for many heartbeats. Then, without a word, he turned on his heel, shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking towards the door that led to the deck.

"He-hey, the dishes aren't done yet?" she sputtered uncrossing her arms, but he just waved his hand over his shoulder at her.

"You can finish them, since you offered," was the lazy reply and she clenched her fists, fury lashing through her like a whip.

She darted after him, stepping in front of him and preventing the swordsman from passing the table. Most people would have wilted under her glare, but he just looked at her with that grumpy expression she was quickly becoming used to as his normal face.

"Not by myself, Bonehead," she ground out, her mercurial gaze narrowed.

Something passed behind his eye, but as soon as it was there, she blinked. Just like that, strong hands had grasped her arms, picked her up and set her on the table. She squealed in surprise, then indignation, but he didn't release her right away, his grip holding her still.

"What do you go by?" he asked her in a low tone.

"I thought my name was 'witch'," she sniped but his face didn't change, so she relented.

"Tiri."

He nodded and she tilted her head, curiousity filling her and she bit her lip. His eye flickered to her mouth but then he released her, shoving his hands back into his pockets.

"Tiri, finish the dishes and go to bed," he muttered, giving her a look from under a lazily hooded eye that she found captivating.

She blinked again, and he was gone. Tiri cursed under her breath and hopped lightly from the table, stomping back into the kitchen. A few minutes, and everything was clean and neatly put away. She breezed across the deck, moving towards the cabins. She hadn't picked one for her own use yet, so she strode to the library, spotting the plush sofa in the moonlight and tugging the blanket that draped across the back down over her with a grunt. The sound of the waves lapping the side of the ship was comforting, memories from a time long past flitting through her mind and she sighed.

Rolling onto her side, she curled her legs up and closed her eyes. She was too tired to deal with the bonehead swordsman and the rest of the things swirling in her head. Willing the tangled mess to the back of her mind, to untangle later, she let sleep drift over her. The sound of the ships soft creaking and the call of seagulls was the last thing she heard before she allowed herself to quietly slip into slumber.

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><p><em><strong>AN 2: I felt it was necessary to point out here at the end of this chapter that Tiri says she ate "a" Hana Hana no mi fruit, not "the". I'm working from the premise that, just as there are different species capable in dogs, thus different species of the dog dog fruit, then there could be different types of the flower-flower fruit, and that they bestow different abilities. I hope this clears up any confusion on the matter. I'm happy to hear any opinions on it, however. I hope you enjoyed, next chapter should be up tomorrow evening. :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Here's chapter 3, luvs, thank you so much for the reviews! Please keep them coming and stay tuned. Enjoy!**_

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><p>Tiri found over the next few days that the rhythm of the Thousand Sunny was easy to follow and she fell into the tempo with little trouble. Robin and Nami had been gracious enough to let her borrow some of their clothes since she only had the one outfit. She shifted, feeling a little exposed in the shirt that the navigator had loaned her and instead put on a different blouse, low-cut, but not as much, keeping Nami's shorts. It made sense to wear something one could easily move in, especially at sea. Feeling more than slightly content that morning, she stepped out onto the deck of the ship with a smile. She was still staying in the library; the stacks of books making her feel the most comfortable anywhere on the ship, except the deck. She adored the soft grass and lying on it in the warm sunshine. It happened to be one of the best places to nap and she was looking forward to basking in the balminess for a bit.<p>

The boneheaded swordsman seemed to think so too and her lips pulled down into a frown as he entered her vision. She turned her head and caught Zoro's eye staring at her impassively. Ignoring his gaze, she turned her face back to the sunlight, arching her back a bit to get more comfortable and almost purred at how warm the rays felt on the exposed skin of her tummy. Tiri let her hands caress the grass, pulling one leg up lazily. There was an orange light behind her eyelids, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Then, blackness suddenly took over and she cracked a storm-cloud colored eye and discovered what had blocked her sunshine.

With a scowl, she shifted across the grass, undulating her hips to move back into the heat of the sun, but the shadow followed her again. She let out an irritated breath and opened both eyes, shoving unruly curls out of her face.

"What is it, Bonehead? I'm not doing anything criminal," she growled up at him, seeing his arms crossed over his chest and his usually grumpy face frowning even deeper than usual.

"Why are you wearing Nami's clothes?" he asked in a tone she couldn't identify and she toyed with not answering him at all, but she shrugged, closing her eyes again.

"She said I could borrow them until I get some more of my own."

"What was wrong with what you had on?" he asked, his single eye raking over her relaxed form irritably. She felt that gaze, but refused to acknowledge it.

"Nothing, except it was all I had and I needed to wash it, so," she gestured to her body and then replaced her hand, stretching further in an attempt to find bone-melting warmth again.

"Why?" she didn't answer this time, certain ignoring him would make him leave her alone at least until dinner time.

Her eyes popped open with surprise when she was lifted clear from the grass by the wrist and pulled to her feet. She opened her mouth to make a biting comment but the look on his features stopped her. Tiri's brow furrowed as he dropped his hand from her wrist, but didn't back away from her. Tilting her head, she considered him, crossing her arms loosely and cocking a hip.

"What's going on in that thick head of yours?" she asked, her tone light and teasing.

"None of your business," he replied gruffly.

"Then why are my clothes yours?" she retorted with a raised brow.

He didn't answer, his good eye downcast at their feet and she bent forward a little to see his face better, his features suddenly covered in shadow. After a few moments of silence, she took a step forward.

"Zoro," she asked softly, concern worming its way into her thoughts. Usually he either disregarded her barbed comments or he fired back, depending on his mood. This…stillness…was unlike him, though, from what she had figured out over the last couple of weeks.

Blinking, she began to believe, was a bad idea around that bonehead.

Tiri felt the air whoosh out of her lungs as she was pushed back into the wall of the lower deck, his hands braced on either side of her head. Silver eyes were wide with shock looking into a gaze that made her shiver, from what she wasn't exactly sure. Fear, maybe? That was easier to latch onto than other possibilities. His fist clenching to her left snapped her right back into the present and she finally noticed just how close he was to her.

Something seemed to be going on in his head, as his eye flickered all over her face, resting on her lips the longest. Unconsciously, she slid her small tongue out to wet them and unexpectedly he was pressing a little closer. His hand lifted, seemingly without him being totally aware of it. His thumb grazed down the side of her face, her neck, brushing a lilac curl, to rest on the fluttering pulse point at the base of her throat. She watched the expressions war over his appearance, fascinated as his face inched closer, his fingers on her skin almost electrifying. Their noses were so close she could smell the breath he released as shallowly as she did, metal and something salty, like the air around them.

"Zoro," she whispered, and the spell was broken.

He jerked back as if the feel of her skin burned him and when she went to take a breath and ask him just what had happened, he was gone.

She let her head fall back against the wood of the wall and she closed her eyes, letting out a very shaky breath. Her heart was hammering like when she was running for her life. Tiri ran a tremulous hand through her curls and straightened from the wall and stretched out again on the grass once more. Her mind was spinning and lying in the sun had lost its appeal.

With a dismissive sniff, she rose, refusing to relinquish her good mood and melted into a small whirlwind of petals, drifting towards the galley. Feeling playful, she floated towards the kitchen, brushing against the leg of the tall blonde at the sink. Solidifying, she leaned into his back and put her head on his shoulder, standing on tiptoe to see what he was up to. The feel of a female body pressed against his back, though, seemed too much for the cook and his nose started to bleed, his body stiffening. Without thinking, she turned him and grabbed his face with both hands.

"Hey, don't get blood in the food, that's not tasty," she chuckled, but her palms, even gloved, seemed to make the bleeding worse.

Rolling her eyes at the heart eyes she was getting, she still found herself laughing a little. Gently, she pressed a light kiss to his cheek, just because she had really needed the ego boost that he had provided her and reached for a nearby towel, holding it to his nose.

"You've got to learn how to control this, Sanji-san," she smiled warmly, ruffling his hair fondly. They already felt like her nakama.

It didn't seem like he could speak yet, so she just placed his hand on the towel and moved out of the kitchen to sit in one of the chairs, leaning back in it. She easily balanced on two of the legs, but she wouldn't let her mind wander, instead, focusing on counting in her head silently. It kept her occupied until the others started to drift in, the smell of cooked meat drawing Luffy like a moth to the flame. He greeted her with a grin before hopping onto the chair next to her.

"Shishishi," he laughed with a big grin, "whatcha doin' today, Tiri?"

Not being able to resist smiling herself, she lifted her arm and let it melt into petals, and he grabbed at them in absolute delight. Catching one, he gently let it fall again and she tickled his nose with another, other members of the crew watching with varying degrees of amusement. Luffy laughed, then sneezed, wiping his nose.

"That is better than Brooke's music!" he crowed, and she threw back her head, letting out a peal of genuine laughter, the kind that comes right from your belly and just rolls out of your mouth.

Dinner after that was immensely enjoyable and she let petals drift throughout the meal, mostly because Luffy wouldn't let her alone long enough to eat unless she did. The boneheaded swordsman, though, didn't show up, so she turned and ask Franky about it since he was on her immediate left. The cyborg rolled his shoulders in a massive shrug.

"When it's his watch, he tends to skip dinner. Says it keeps him awake."

She nodded quietly, a contemplative expression on her features. Slipping out of the noisy galley with a plate loaded with enticing treats covered with a white cloth, she moved across the deck, the wind from the sea gently blowing her curls in various directions. One slithered across her mouth and she brushed it away as she walked, turning her head to keep the unruly mass out of her face as much as possible. The sun was sinking slowly on the horizon and she paused briefly to take in citrus colored fingers sliding slowly out of sight, crimson kissed clouds floating with the wind. Tiri breathed deeply the scent of water and salt, her mind soothed for the moment.

Refreshed, she easily climbed up the ladder leading to the gym high above the deck, agilely balancing the plate in one hand as she pulled herself up with the other. In a moment, she clambered onto the wooden platform that encircled the swordsman's apparent haven, footsteps falling silently as she padded barefoot around the structure. If he was on watch, then he was probably on the other side, facing the horizon. She was correct, spotting him leaning against the side, his hands firmly clamped behind his head. Even in the dimming light, she could see the determined set to his face. He appeared lost in thought as she approached. Perhaps sensing her, he turned his head to observe her with his good eye before letting out a snort and returning to his previous position.

"That's a fine way to greet the one who brought you dinner," she scoffed, the warmth of the plate mournfully absent as she set it down on the wide railing.

"I don't eat when I'm on watch," he grumbled, not bothering to look at her.

"So I heard, but I don't care to be hungry. I'd hate for someone else to be," she retorted, crossing her arms.

They stood that way for many heartbeats, the scent of hot, spiced rice and vegetables wafting in the air. Without warning his stomach rumbled and he looked down with a pointed glare. Zoro's stomach didn't seem impressed, letting out a loud growl. Biting her lip to keep from laughing, she took a step towards the plate with a small smile.

"Well, if you don't want it, I guess I'll just feed it to the seagulls," she said casually with a shrug and lifting the food.

Grunting as she turned to walk away, the swordsman was quickly behind her, reaching around to pluck the plate from her grasp. Tiri bit back a gasp at the brief contact of his arm touching hers, the sensation like a tiny shock. He must have felt it too, because he froze. She could hear the beating of her heart slamming against her chest. Then, he withdrew away from her, dropping to sit with one leg bent, the other drawn up to balance the plate as he uncovered it and launched into the meal with obvious enjoyment.

She scowled down at him, fisting her hands on her hips. "You're welcome, Bonehead."

She spun on her heel, frustration edging over her previous contentment. The man was impossible to please, she decided as she stomped over to the ladder. Not even caring to look down, she stepped off into empty air and melted her form, floating gracefully down to the deck. Pig-headed, ungrateful ass, that's what he was. Next time, he could just stay up there and rot away from starvation. Gleefully, she pictured his emancipated skeleton, reaching helplessly towards her booted foot for the tiny morsel of bread she offered him with a smirk. Sighing as her reverie lifted her mood a bit, she swept into the library and immediately pulled down a book at random, plopping onto the sofa and letting her sadistic grin fade. She carefully opened the tome, leaned over to flick on the lamp that rested on the desk nearby. Tiri tucked her hair behind her ears and propped a fist against her cheek, instantly becoming absorbed in the work before her eyes.

Hours ticked by as she lost herself in the words on the pages, falling asleep close to midnight, her silvery eyes closing as she leaned heavily on her propped arm. As her breathing deepened and her body relaxed, she didn't notice the tall, muscular figure that walked into the room. Seeing her peacefully dozing, they crossed the floor silently. The man was gentle, carefully pulling her arm down so as not to wake her and lying her back onto the couch. He flicked off the light and tucked the blanket that had been strewn over her lap up over the rest of her.

Lips twitched as she snuggled into the cover and a quiet eye admired the moonlight playing in the strange-colored strands of her hair. A finger ghosted across her cheek and then, just like a phantom, was gone.

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><p>The idiot seemed to be avoiding her at every turn, she thought grouchily as she walked into the deserted gym. Two days, one even spent stopped at the latest island for supplies, and she hadn't seen one moss-tinted hair of the man. Nibbling on her lip in irritation, she threw the towel she had brought up across the long seat ringing the room and moved to the weapon's rack. Selecting two gleaming daggers, she cleared a space in the center of the room. Tiri's motions appeared smooth, practiced, as she adopted a stance, one arm raised above her right shoulder and the other closer to her hip.<p>

She listened, the day quiet except for the sound of the waves crashing into the hull, the occasional squawk, and Luffy's playful yelling as he chased Usopp around the ship. She swept the blades as she pivoted, the hand postures reversed. Then, a jab to the right, left, spun, thrust back, high kick….

The motions increased in speed, power as she danced through one routine, then another. Her limbs flowed, tossing the daggers high as she let her eyes drift shut, listening to the rhythm of her body. Deftly, she caught them. Something invaded on her senses, though. Tiri could feel a presence, left? No, near the doorway. Viciously, she twisted her upper body, flinging the daggers and they spun end over end before thudding dully into the wall. Mercurial eyes opened to see the hilts quivering, one on each side of the swordsman's smirk.

"Fancy, but hardly effective," he said with his eye closed and his head bowed in a sage-like manner.

She scowled, wiping sweat from her forehead and lifting her arms to coil her hair into a loose ponytail. His eye opened at her motion, a flickering in that orb that she was starting to recognize. Tiri ignored it though, stepping forward with a gentle swaying of her hips. If she didn't know better, she'd have sworn that eye flitted down to watch her walk, but it was so fast, she couldn't be sure. Casually, she leaned close, her arms on either side of his broad shoulders and grasped the daggers. Tugging, they slid out of their wooden sheaths and she spun on her heel, certain ignoring him would make him go away and she could continue with her exercise.

Tiri resumed her initial position with her back to him, closing her eyes once more. As she moved to strike before her, she was met with resistance, a sharp clash of metal screeching in her ears. Her eyes snapped open and she drug her dagger down the katana blocking her, slipping beneath it neatly and thrusting forward. Another katana blocked the move and she jumped back. He held a blade in each hand, that damnable smirk still playing around his lips. She glared at him and straightened, wary.

"What do you want, Bonehead?" she growled at him, anger rising in her chest, making her cheeks flush.

"Let's see how much of a challenge you really are," he replied, shouldering one sword with a shit-eating grin and setting her teeth on edge.

"Apparently, you don't think much," she snapped and he shrugged.

"I'm bored."

He blinked when she melted into petals, the lilac fragments swirling around him as he looked around, his guard instantly going up. Sensing an attack from behind, he turned, blades crossed, just as two razor sharp daggers swept down. Sparks flew and he glowered at the cheap shot.

"Far be it for me to disappoint you then," she purred, slipping away once more, leaving behind a soft floral scent.

The petals spun away, flitting across his face and he was momentarily blinded. Not enough to lower his guard, however and he met her next strike, only her hands and the daggers they held solid.

He yawned. "I'm still bored," he drawled lazily.

She didn't take the bait as the rest of her materialized. She was smiling sweetly and he raised a brow, his face adopting its usual grumpy expression. Without warning, she broke their lock, disappearing in a flurry of petals and flew past him and he cursed at the bug-like stings as they touched his exposed flesh. She solidified again, idly tossing one knife up and down. He wiped at one cheek with an arm, seeing tiny red dots speckling the sleeve of his robe.

Her lips were curved as he looked back up to her. The expression had changed and he started to grin at her in earnest. Tiri frowned and tilted her head, quickly assuming a defensive posture at that look. He shrugged out of the sleeves, letting it fall around his waist. Tiri fought not to let her gaze travel down that chiseled expanse. Damn, that was unfair.

"What's so funny, Bonehead?" she queried.

He chuckled, a low, rumbling laugh that made a tingle trail down her spine.

"I'm not bored anymore."


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Chapter 4 is up! Let me know what you all think and enjoy!**_

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><p>Tiri took a step back, the glint in his eye as he grinned at her a barely harnessed wildness. For the first time, she understood exactly what she had been provoking all this time. Her gaze narrowed as she shifted her stance, feet braced far apart. She stepped left, slowly circling her opponent as his predatory gaze lazily followed her movements. Twisting at her waist, she led with her right.<p>

He disappeared before her eyes.

She stopped short, head whipping back and forth frantically. Instinctively, she spun, blocking with crossed daggers as he struck from behind. The force of the blow sent her flying backwards, and she stabbed the points of her blades into the floor, leaving two deep grooves as she slowed to a stop just before slamming into the wall. There was a deep gash on her left arm. The trickle of blood was hot against her arm and she grimaced. Her breath was coming in short gasps but he didn't even look like he had exerted any effort.

Bastard.

Wincing, she shakily stood, the left dagger clattering to the floor uselessly. Tiri still managed to glare as she turned her back, dropping the other knife and moved to grab the towel she had brought with her. Swiftly, she wrapped her arm and flexed the makeshift bandage experimentally, scowling at the strange feel of slightly exposed muscle. She turned to him then and wasn't surprised to see that cranky expression on his face. Zoro sheathed his katanas and walked over to her.

Tiri jumped when he grabbed her arm and unwrapped the wound.

"H-Hey, you Bonehead, what're you-"she started to ask.

"Shut up, witch, and let me see," he interrupted, sliding his hand to her wrist and tugging her forward as he sat on the bench.

She stood between his knees as he leaned close to take a good look, close enough that she could feel the breath he exhaled tickling her arm. Her cheeks were hot, but he didn't seem to notice the flush staining them. Her skin tingled at the contact, his grip firm, but not uncomfortable. He turned her limb gently, inspecting the red gash before rewrapping it and tying it tightly.

"You should know better than to try that kind of defense with someone who's reach is longer than yours," he scolded her as his hands finished their task.

"It was instinct," she protested as he let her arm drop and she snatched it to her chest like he had burned her.

He stood then and she stepped back quickly, too fast, and she stumbled over her feet. He grabbed her so fast she didn't even see him move, and she was suddenly staring at his very broad, very muscular, and very bare chest. Her hands had moved of their own accord, coming to rest against lightly on her shoulders to keep from tumbling into him. Not that she would have gone anywhere; the man was built like the ship, nearly immovable. His hands cupped her elbows and Tiri felt him stiffen. Her heart was beating so hard against her ribs she was certain he could hear it. Her brain seemed to shut down for a moment as she slowly raised her face to look up into his.

He didn't return the gaze, his body rigid as stone, his one eye staring straight ahead. Tiri felt reality slam into her and she jumped back, swallowing past the lump that had formed in her throat. Turning her back to him, she retrieved her weapons from the floor, straightening and moving to put them back in the rack.

Strong, calloused hands placed on her arms stopped her. She froze, craning her neck to look back at him over her shoulder. His expression was unreadable and she suppressed the shudder that tried to race up her spine. The swordsman's hands slid down her arms carefully, fingers wrapped around her forearms in a gentle, but insistent way. She could feel his chest pressing into her back, the warmth of his skin seeping through the cloth of her shirt.

"Come on, witch, you need to learn how to handle a blade if you're going to be any help in a fight," he murmured into her ear and that time she did shiver. She knew he had to be smirking behind her at her reaction.

"I can handle blades just fine, Bonehead. I made you bleed," she grumbled. When was the heat in her face going to go away?

"Maybe so, but that wasn't the weapons of your hands," he replied, nudging her foot with his from behind her, making her shift.

"Keep your feet wide apart, braced. Make sure your balance is centered. More than that, make sure your stance is firm. Picture yourself as a carving of stone," he spoke into her ear, coaxing her to follow his instructions with gentle prodding.

"I know this part," she growled impatiently.

"Apparently not, idiot, if I could push you back so easily."

Alright, she had to give him that. Resisting the urge to mutter under her breath, she relaxed against him. Then she tensed again, as she felt his hands move to her hips.

"Stop slouching, hunched over like that doesn't protect your vitals at all," he chided her, holding one hand at her hip to keep her lower body still, while the other brushed away the curls draped from her ponytail to tug at her shoulder.

She followed the touch, straightening her back and pushing her shoulders back. She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder with a frown.

"I feel exposed standing like this," she groused, but his raised brow silencing her objections.

His hands slid back to her arms, his head coming to rest on her shoulder so he could see what she was doing. She felt his lips graze her ear.

"You're hardly exposed at the moment," he said, apparently having noticed her t-shirt and long pants. Then why did his tone make it sound like he could change that? She wondered.

Zoro nudged the back of her knee with his and she stirred, while his left hand guided hers to cover her chest. The other he moved to rise above her head.

"Always have one hand on guard. The way you fight, you'll need more defense than I would," he muttered and she glared at the wall irritably. That sounded dangerously close to an insult. He was speaking again and she tried to pay attention.

"Now, your right hand is dominant, despite being ambidextrous, so keep it forwards," he continued.

"No shit," she griped and his hand reached around to the flesh of her hip and pinched, making her squeak.

"Pay attention, witch, you might learn something," he retorted with a snort.

"Not likely," she whispered and jumped when he pinched her again.

"Be quiet. Now, follow my lead."

She obeyed as he twisted them together, thrusting her right arm forward, before slowly pivoting them with a nudge of his hip against hers. She followed dutifully.

"Very good, now step here," he murmured and she shadowed him, their bodies working in almost seamless synchronization.

The sun traveled slowly across the sky as they trained, her body flowing against his as her arms conformed to the silent commands of his.

"These motions feel familiar," she said quietly as he manipulated her body into learning the techniques he attempted to teach her.

"Really?" he asked, his tone flat as he concentrated, only half hearing her words.

"Yes," she replied as she thrust her arms back, and then flowed back, "it's like when I float on the breeze as petals. The currents move me to their whim, but…"

She trailed off.

"What?" They moved to the left, twisting her upper body in a dodge.

"But," she continued with a small smile, "the currents still serve my purpose."

He nodded against her shoulder.

"You understand turning the environment to your advantage. You should know, though, that it can't always be the case."

"I do know that, you Bonehead," she snarled, still following his movements.

"Apparently you don't, if that provocation pissed you off that much."

Point two to the swordsman, dammit.

She pulled away from him though, striding across the room, her lip curled into a sneer.

"We're done here, idiot," she bit out, slamming her weapons back into the rack.

"Fine, I don't need to waste my time with a child, anyway," he snarled back, her flaring temper seemingly having stepped on his last nerve.

That tore it. She spun on her heel, grabbing his still bare shoulder and slipping around him as he strode towards the door. He probably intended to walk right over her if she didn't move, but she didn't give him the opportunity. Her mercurial eyes were flashing like lightning as she grabbed a fistful of green hair and pulled his head down till he was eye-level with him.

She didn't think, she was too angry. Instead, she rose on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, molding her body against him as her hand slid up to wrap around his neck. The swordsman's lips parted in surprise and she used the opportunity to glide her tongue silkily against his. He made a noise deep in his throat and she was mildly surprised, and very pleased, when his hands came down and gripped her hips. She felt like she was burning, a fire licking through her veins threatening to engulf her whole. He even tasted like his scent, and like barely-controlled power.

He responded to her lips, pulling her tighter against him and she whimpered against his mouth. Her hands stroked through the strands of his hair as he began taking control, his mouth slanting over hers, deepening the kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth, attempting to conquer her and she lightly nipped his lower lip in retaliation. He growled then, his hands roaming up her back to tug her ponytail free, spilling her lavender curls. His fingers tangled in her hair, pulling his lips away only to take a sip of air before attacking her mouth again.

Tiri pulled away from him and he tried to follow but she pressed two fingers against his lips, trying not to pay attention to how soft they felt despite the hardness of his body against the rest of her.

"Was that the reaction of a child?" she asked with a smirk before she melted into petals in his arms, floating out the window, leaving only a trace of lilac scent.

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><p>It was Tiri's turn to watch that night, so she took a plate of food up to the crow's nest and neatly balanced on the rail on her haunches. It was a habit she had since childhood. Cupping her chin in her hands, she watched the darkening horizon, her eyes taking in the sight even as her mind was busy elsewhere.<p>

What was with her?

Kissing that boneheaded swordsman was beyond a bad idea; it was stupid. They couldn't even get along longer than a few hours without an argument. He was infuriating, and absolute trouble. He also nearly kissed her into submission, if she hadn't broken away when she did. Yep, he was most definitely trouble. Tiri shook the lingering memories of the afternoon away. At least she had learned a few new moves she could practice. Maybe, after a few days, she could approach him to teach her more, though she doubted after that incident that he would want to. She wasn't exactly sure she could control herself around him anymore either. He was like a drug, one taste and she already wanted more.

The way he reacted to her kiss made her suspect he may have the same problem she did. Tiri groaned then, burying her face in her hands. This was only going to make waves amongst the others, she knew it. She breathed deeply and raised her eyes back to the line where sky met sea. It was better to face difficulties in the light of day; they didn't seem so overwhelming then.

A sound pricked her ears and she turned her head with a frown. She could see through the window of the gym since there seemed to be a light on. That idiot swordsman must still be practicing, she thought, and she shook her head, hopping back and landing on her lightly. With a simple flick of her wrist, she opened the window, the scent of steel wafting past her nose. Tiri leaned against the opening, keeping one eye on the temperamental ocean and the other on Zoro as he performed pushups with a single finger, the other arm behind his back. He was still bare-chested and muscle rippled in his arm in the moonlight.

"I thought you ran off, witch," he ground out as he lowered himself, then lifted easily.

"My watch," was the quiet response. Not exactly an apology or an explanation, but then did she really owe him one? He called her childish after all.

Nothing else was said and Tiri moved away from the window to resume her post at the railing, nibbling on a piece of fruit as she scanned the sky. Nami warned that the atmosphere was perfect for a storm. She saw it then, the clouds gathering to the east and she whistled low and loud, leaning over to look down at the deck. She could see Franky burst out of the door leading to the engine room.

"Oi, Franky! Nami was right, it's coming!" she yelled over the rising wind.

He shouted something back at her but, she couldn't hear him. She just shook her head and retreated to climb down the ladder. Lightning struck out of nowhere, a crackle of powerful energy that blasted out of the sky to hit the wooden deck in front of her. She let out a scream as light blinded her, throwing herself backwards out of harm's way. She landed on her back, the wind knocked out of her. Thunder roared overhead, but when she blinked, she couldn't see anything.

Panicked, she sat up, feeling around sightlessly, her hand touching a wall, she thought. Standing on wobbly legs, she let her hand stay on the wood and she never touched air. Yes, it was the wall. There was no way that she could climb down though, not blind, it was too easy to slip and fall right into the churning sea, a sure death. She couldn't transform either; the gusts from the storm were too forceful, blowing her curls across her face. Cursing under her breath, she followed the curve of the wall.

Suddenly large hands were on her shoulders, gripping hard and she was lifted off her feet and jerked sideways.

"What-" she exclaimed.

"What is right! What the hell were you doing out there, waiting for the lightning to hit you again?" a rough voice said loudly in her ear as the grip on her shoulders tightened and the wind buffeted her back.

The swordsman's hands released her and she heard him grunt as the sound of the window latching reached her hearing. She raised her hands before her.

"Zoro? Zoro, I can't see, the strike blinded me," her voice sounded small and lost to her own ears and she cursed at herself for sounding so weak.

"Oi, it did? Well, there isn't much to see anyway, the storm doesn't look like it's going anywhere for a while. We're not either, not until the wind dies down. The others can handle the weather without us for now."

She nodded and slid her booted feet across the floor, taking hesitant steps forward.

"Where're you going?" His voice asked sullenly from somewhere to her left.

"It's a new dance move, you ought to try it. It might help your temperament," she bit back, her fear making her voice sharper than she intended.

She heard him snort, but it sounded closer. Tiri stilled and she felt big hands take her own.

"Come on, Tiri," she heard him say close to her ear, his body slipping behind hers as it had done earlier that day, "Just like before."

She was hesitant, her cheeks flaming as she remembered the events that had transpired that afternoon, but still nodded. Might as well pass the time constructively.

"Just make sure you look outside occasionally. I'm supposed to still be on watch," she murmured.

He grunted before sliding his hands to meet hers, their fingers lacing.

"Let's see if you can learn anything defensive without resorting to your tricks," he said close to her ear and she could just make him out as another peal of thunder rocked the ship.

She kept blinking as they moved, hoping like hell that it would make her sight come back faster. It seemed to work a little bit; she could make out faint shapes. His hands became hers and he moved her arms into different positions, explaining them to her patiently.

"Your forearms are tougher than you think. They can take a lot of force before they give out. It's the same with your chest. It absorbs more blows than you might initially suspect."

As he said this, he let her arms fall to her sides, before striking low with her hand, the fingers together and straight.

"A move like this will easily stun an opponent if taken in the throat, eye, stomach, anywhere that is vulnerable on the body," he said and she nodded, the slight scruff on his cheek rasping against hers at the motion.

"Lull into a sense of safety, make them think you aren't dangerous," he spoke softly, his voice like the rumble of the thunder outside.

"I know how to do that," she chuckled softly, "You certainly didn't think I was dangerous on that street."

He stilled behind her and she worried that she had something wrong when he didn't move or say anything. She still couldn't see and she turned her head in a futile to make out his face between the gloom and her blindness. She opened her mouth to speak, but his words in her ear cut her off.

"I know different now," he said huskily and she bit her lip at the tone of his voice.

"That I'm dangerous?" she asked quietly, blind eyes flicking back and forth in the darkness.

"Very," he muttered before his lips touched hers in the barest of caresses.

Once, twice, and she responded to each, his hands folding her arms across her stomach as his encircled her. This was different than the kiss they shared that afternoon. This was gentle, exploratory, a testing of the waters. His tongue flicked out to touch hers, and then retreated. Tiri's hands flexed against his, a small sound escaping past her lips.

He lifted his head and she just stood there, so many emotions roiling through her that she wasn't sure what to think.

"The storm's passing," he said quietly, releasing his hold of her.

"Good," she managed to get out.

Taking her hand, he led her to the door and she was relieved to actually see the night sky, albeit in a fuzzy way. She withdrew her hand, uncertainty and confusion making her nervous.

"I can manage thanks. And…thank you for getting me out of the storm," she rushed out, her cheeks flushing deeply.

Without waiting for more of a response than the shrug she got, she let herself drift into petals, floating down and through to the open porthole of the library. Tiri let out a breath, touching shaky fingers to her lips. She might be dangerous, but he was so unquestionably trouble.

And she was about to be neck deep in it.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Here's the latest chapter, my luvs. Keep letting me know what you think and thank you to all of you who gave me reviews, favs, and the like! Enjoy!**_

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><p>Tiri kept up with the swordsman's training and nothing further happened for the next week. She worked hard on what he called her form. According to the bonehead, she needed more confidence when facing an opponent, to overcome her instinct to simply melt away. All of this, of course, had been told to her at the end of one of his wickedly sharp katanas, which did not endear him to the lavender-haired woman at all.<p>

"I'm not a swordsman like you, Bonehead, so our strategies are going to be different," she had finally snapped after a particularly brutal session.

She had absolutely made Luffy's day when she had floated down in her petal form and plucked Chopper from the deck, gently carrying him up to the nest for bandaging. After the reindeer had gotten past his terror, Luffy had immediately shot up to see what else she was going to do. He left disappointed however, when she just sat still and let the doctor work. She thanked him for his work and he blushed as she carefully set him down on the swing, and then resumed her training with Zoro.

In frustration, she broke from the lock as Zoro had instructed her, but did not resume her stance, glaring at him pointedly while trying to even her breathing. He shouldered one of his swords, returning her glare with his normal cranky expression.

"What is it with you, today, witch?" They had reverted back to their original disdainful attitudes towards one another, an unspoken accord to pretend nothing had happened.

Tiri didn't answer, twisting her upper body and throwing her daggers to thud quivering into the wall behind her. Without a word, she strode to the rack nearby and withdrew two wooden swords. One she tossed to Zoro who caught it easily, the other, she spun lazily, a motion that proved she was at least familiar with the larger blade. The swordsman sheathed his katanas.

"Let's do something different today," she said, whipping around and holding the pointed end out towards him, her posture one of challenge as she smirked self-assuredly.

He snorted, closing his eye and shaking his head.

"You're not ready for that kind of training," he said coolly.

She struck before he raised his head, but he still blocked the blow with the training sword as it came from the side.

"Maybe so, but how's this beating going to be different than the others I've been taking?" she countered.

His lips twitched as he vanished with barely a flurry of movement. Tiri had been watching him when he did that, and she thought she had worked out his pattern of attack. She parried to the left.

It had been a while since she was that wrong.

He moved in on the right, Tiri having fallen into his feinted trap and struck her with the flat of the stick and she cursed. The flesh of her rump stung from the hit and she rubbed at it ruefully.

"That," he said as he leaned against the wall, a smile playing around his lips, "was for being cocky."

"You just said I was not confident enough," she snarled back, her cheeks flushing with her wounded pride.

"There's-"

"I know, I KNOW," she bit out, cutting him off with a sneer, "There's a balance to it, just like everything else you've been teaching me."

"Apparently, you don't and," he disappeared again and she quickly tried to put her back to a wall, but failed, the blade smacking her again on her rear, making her yelp, "stop talking and start listening, for a change, witch."

That did it.

Growling, she spun, intent on at the very least taking off his smug head. Unfortunately, all she managed was to wear herself out over the next hour. Panting heavily, she tossed the training sword to the floor, following it closely. With a sigh, she spread herself out on the floor, the coolness of wood on her back a balm. Silvery eyes closed and she focused on breathing through her nose.

"That's the first thing you've gotten right today. If you've figured out how to breath properly, maybe there's hope for you," his voice rumbled from somewhere to the right.

"Bite me, Bonehead," she muttered tiredly, too exhausted to argue with him.

Suddenly something had pinned her arms down, a heavy weight settling across her legs and she opened her eyes, startled. He held her down, the look in his eye enough to make her pause and carefully rethink what she had just said.

"Is that an order or a request, witch?" he asked calmly and leaned down until she could feel his warm breath fanning the skin of her neck, causing gooseflesh. "Either one can be arranged."

Yep, she was in trouble.

Tiri bit her lip and he pulled back, lightly getting to his feet and she cursed internally. Damn the man!

"It seems like you took care of that yourself, no need for me then," he smirked, his good eye glinting in the afternoon sun.

Before she could retort, there was yelling from below.

"Oi, Zoro, Tiri, there's an island ahead, come see!" Nami's sharp tone floated up on the breeze and they both immediately made their way out to the railing.

Tiri shaded her eyes and looked westward, spotting what looked like a great lump of brown in the distance. She turned slightly at the hip to consider Zoro.

"What kind of island do you think it is?" she queried and he just shrugged.

"Does it matter? It won't be anything we can't handle."

She just let out a small hmm, lightly hopping up and crouching on the railing. Without warning, she was jerked backwards into something hard, hands gripping her shoulders as her legs dangled unceremoniously over the side. Realizing it was that boneheaded idiot, she struggled vainly in his grasp.

"What the big idea, you idiot?" she seethed, writhing about like a worm on a hook.

"Idiot? You're the idiot, jumping up there. What if you had fallen, eh? No one could have been quick enough to save your sorry ass! Stop wriggling!"

He was actually scolding her? Tiri scowled and hooked her legs tightly against the rail, throwing her head back into the solid wall of his chest. Not that it would have broken his hold on her, but the action surprised him enough that he let go for a split second, which was all she needed. Grabbing the wood with both hands, she hoisted herself up, almost as if she was on a gymnast bar. Smoothly, she reversed her grip, pulling her legs in and standing on the side, ignoring the swordsman's protests behind her. With a laugh, she started to run on the rail, her arms out for balance.

"Get back here, witch, you're asking for it," he warned, but she didn't pay attention, stepping lightly, throwing him a grin over her shoulder.

Lilac curls whipped behind her as she sped up, hearing his heavier footsteps not far behind. Tiri made a skipping motion before easily performing a cartwheel, dodging his attempt to grab her again and landing easily on her feet on the narrow railing. She heard him make a strangled noise as she found her feet. Without another backward glance, she ran again and hopped over to the roof of the gym. She stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at him with a smirk.

"Get down, Tiri. Don't make me come up there after you," he growled, his arms folded over his chest and she touched her finger to her lips with wide eyes in mock fear.

She stopped though, noting how serious he was about this and tilted her head with a small chuckle.

"I'm fine, Zoro, I've been playing in high places since I was a small child. It's how I made a living before I even met you guys."

"Were you ever over the open ocean?" he countered, his body tensing and she knew he was about two breaths from climbing up after her.

"Nope," she replied and darted off again, following the curve of the structure.

She was in a playful mood now, the frustration of her training wearing off in the warm sunshine and open air of the sea. Tiri turned her head for just a second and wasn't surprised to see him chasing after her. Why was he so concerned? A thought crossed her mind that made her frown as she feinted a jump down, and then twisted at the last minute, moving to the very center of the roof. He didn't trust her to take care of herself, she realized as his footfalls pounded behind her. Her brows furrowed and she bolted for the spire that rose into the air above the crow's nest.

She'd show him.

Tiri reached out and grasped the wooden pole, fully intent on climbing it out of sheer spite, but hands grabbing her hips and pulling her backwards completely ruined that plan. She threw all of her weight to the side as another idea hit her with a devious grin. Her weight combined with his threw off his balance and they rolled towards the edge of the roof. Her strength was nothing compared to his, but, as they started to tumble off, she reversed her momentum and they fell with a crash to the wooden deck of the nest. Tiri had landed on top of him facing the blue sky above, but the impact had not loosened his grip around her waist.

She started laughing then, the adrenaline still coursing through her and she threw her arms up and stretched before flopping back on his chest. She heard a low sound in her ear and then she was suddenly under a very angry Zoro, his forearms braced on each side of her.

"You could have killed us, you idiot!" he yelled at her but her mirth had only died down to a giggle.

"But-but I didn't," she got out before wrapping her arms loosely around his neck with a bright smile. "That was fun."

All the wind seemed to have been knocked out of his sails at how cheerful she was and he sighed, hanging his head before a small chuckled escaped him with a grin of his own.

"Woman, you are going to be the death of me," he muttered, lifting his head and their gazes locked.

Just like that, the atmosphere around them changed and Tiri could feel every heartbeat in her chest hammering against her ribs. Her eyes flickered over his face, landing on his mouth as he leaned closer to her, their lips inches apart.

"Oi, Tiri-saaaaan, come down and see!" Sanji's voice cut through the air, making her jump, a flush creeping into her cheeks.

"Damn ero-cook," Zoro murmured, still very close.

"We should probably go down and help dock the Sunny," she replied softly, but he didn't move, other than to slide his gaze over her features.

"You're right," he rumbled, before tracing a finger down her cheek slowly, a shiver chasing down her spine at the contact, "But you also made me chase you around this nest trying to keep your fool head from taking a dive into the sea. I think I deserve…oi, what was the word you used?"

Her mind was drawing a blank at the moment, completely absorbed with how good his finger felt tailing along the curve of her jaw, how the sound of his voice reverberated deliciously through her body. He was mesmerizing. He grinned then, evidently enjoying this as much as she was, because he leaned his head down until his lips grazed her ear.

"That was it…recompense," he said in a low voice, before pressing his finger into her chin and turning her head so that his lips could meet hers.

As soon as their lips touched, Tiri's stomach erupted into butterflies and he glided his mouth silkily against hers, his hand moving to cup the back of her neck. One kiss became another and another, until she couldn't tell where one ended and another began. She parted her lips and he slid his tongue past them, tasting the honeyed cavern of her mouth with a groan as her hands skimmed down to press against his chest. Where his robe parted, the skin felt muscled and she lightly ran her fingertips against the scarred flesh, tracing the stitched line until her questing met fabric again.

Zoro's hand wove itself in the curls of her hair, while the he balanced on the forearm of his other arm. Without warning, he rolled them over, Tiri breaking the kiss with a small sound of surprise as his arms wrapped around her, one hand rubbing a circle on her hip while the other was still entangled in the lilac strands. He pulled her down against him, his lips trailing fire down the column of her neck and she bit her lip to keep back the moan that was building in the back of her throat. Her hands wandered over his broad shoulders as his lips found hers again, her fingers stroking through the green strands of his hair.

The need for air caused them to part, their breathing more labored than when they had been running. Zoro shifted them again, this time settling back against the wall, her legs straddled over his lap. She rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes and attempting to once more even her breathing. Tiri chuckled softly, her hands still moving through his hair.

"What is it?" he asked, cracking open an eye to lean back and look at her properly, though his expression was relaxed, obviously enjoying the feel of her fingers moving over his scalp.

"You remind me of a cat with that look. If you could, I think you'd purr," she said with a smile.

"You're the one that purred, witch," he retorted with a snort, both his hands have coming to rest on her hips.

"You'll never prove it," she shot back, but with a sly grin, "Are you satisfied with your payment?"

"For the moment," his words making another blush heat her face and he chuckled at her, his hand lifting to cup her cheek, "And for a mischievous witch, you sure do blush a lot."

She jerked her head back with a scowl, which only made him laugh again.

"Bonehead," she muttered, rising and walking to the ladder. Melting into lilac scented blossoms, she floated down, materializing next to a hopping Luffy, Zoro landing lightly right next to her.

"There you guys are, what took so long?" the Captain yelled at them as he practically wiggled in excitement. "Did you see it? It's a giant sand hill! I'm gonna roll down it and Franky's gonna shoot me up to the top to do it again! He says he'll even build a ramp!"

"Slow down, Luffy, you'll wear yourself out before you even get started," Tiri laughed, walking past him and tugging his hat down over his eyes fondly to stand at the railing with the others.

There was something odd about this island though, she thought. Apparently Robin thought so to, the older woman's blue eyes unfocused as she stared over the water.

"It's strange, isn't it? A sand hill in the middle of the ocean," the lavender-haired pirate asked and Robin nodded absently.

"Yes, it is very odd. It might have flesh eating sandworms."

"Well, there's a pleasant thought," Tiri teased, making the other woman smile softly.

"Tiri-saaaan, Robin-chan, I made some delicious drinks for you," Sanji's sing-song cut through their conversation and Tiri gratefully accepted, sipping the fruity concoction, rewarding the cook with a blown kiss, his heart eyes making her bite her lip to keep from laughing.

The taste of strawberries exploded on her tongue and she sighed in pleasure.

"Oi, what're you glaring at Tiri-san like that for, you shitty marimo?" Sanji yelled, coming out of nowhere and the swordsman spun on his heel with a red face.

"None of your business, you nosy ero-cook!" he shouted back and Tiri shook her head.

As they neared the island, Tiri turned to her captain who was hopping up and down at the rail next to her in excitement.

"Oi, Luffy, Brooke and I are the lightest, why don't we go on ahead and scout it out? If there's anything really bad, we'll come get to you beat it up for us," she asked, half joking.

Luffy stilled and scratched his head a moment before breaking out into a wide grin.

"Eh? Alright, but don't climb the hill before I get there!"

"Deal," she smiled and turned to Brooke. "Shall we?"

"Of course, my lady, Yohohohoho," he replied, offering her his arm gallantly. She took it and spotted Zoro adopting his grumpy expression again.

As the bickering between Zoro and Sanji escalated, Brooke hopped onto the water, his light body and quick feet sending up a spray of water as he dashed for the island. Tiri, more graceful, easily stepped onto the railing and leapt into the air, bursting into a fragrant plume of petals and drifting on the westward wind after him.

She landed gently on the hot sand, grateful for the thick soles of her leather boots as Brooke met her.

"Well, this doesn't seem too terrible, except for the endless sand and the heat and the incline all the way around," she groused and the skeleton nodded.

"Perhaps we should still have a look about."

"Agreed, lead the way."

Tiri followed the musician along the shoreline, keeping one eye on the sand and the other on the approaching Sunny. A scent drifted past her nose, like rotten meat and she stopped mid step.

"Brooke, wait…there's a strange smell on the wind," she said softly and the skeleton paused.

"Yohoho? What is it?"

"It smells like bad meat, but…" her silvery eyes narrowed as the smell increased in strength, "We need to get back to the ship, now! Something's coming and it's big."

Brooke apparently didn't need to be told twice, but as soon as he started and the words left her lips, a tentacle burst out of the sand, wrapping around her legs and making her loose her balance. She hit the sand with a dull thud, the scalding ground scrapping against her bare arms painfully with her impact. She saw Brooke turn, his sword flying out of his cane.

"No!" she screamed at him. "I can take care of it, go get the others, there are more coming!"

He hesitated, clearly not wanting to abandon his nakama, but she burst into petals and rematerialized a few steps away, her body braced for another attack.

"Go!"

Seeing her ability, he darted off across the water, but her eyes were glued to the waving tentacle in front of her. The sand shifted beneath her feet and she melted away again, floating in the air and wafting to and fro. More tentacles shot out of the earth below and she dodged, moving further uphill so as not to be caught in the breeze from the ocean. She couldn't keep it up forever though; any stray wind could put her in serious danger.

With a swift motion, she darted down, petals taking on a razor edge and sliced past the now writhing mass, carving wrinkled, brown flesh. She formed on the ground where she thought it's back might be and sure enough, the feelers turned and she fearlessly grabbed one, giving it one hell of a pull. Tiri felt something give and out popped a small, octopus looking creature, covered in spikes and gnashing fangs. That couldn't be good.

"What in the Line-"she didn't get time to finish the question, sensing something hurtling at her from the left.

She dodged, but not before another one of those creatures grazed her arm, excruciating pain bursting from the contact, making her cry out. She clutched at the scratch, horrified as it throbbed, her skin burning. Those spikes are poisonous, she thought.

"Shit," she cursed and bolted down the hill, losing her footing and tumbling down to the beach.

She scrambled to stand up, but another tentacle grabbed her ankle and tugged, more following, twisting around her lower body, and trapping her. Tiri struggled, but their grip tightened and she felt tiny pricks along her legs. Damnit!

She looked towards the sea and clawed her way forward on her belly, gritting her teeth in an attempt to at least get to the water. Please hurry, she thought, as what she could only assume to be the poison flowing into her system as her body started to tremble, her muscles indisposed to obey her will. Black began to dance at the edge of her vision as the feelers skulked up her body and she fought not to retch as their stench flooded her nostrils.

Suddenly, there was a foot in her field of view and she looked up at see a blur of steel, the tentacles' grip gone in a millisecond. She was turned over gently and felt a welcome coldness spreading over her scorching wounds, making out a pinkish hat hovering over her. The lavender-haired pirate was then lifted in strong arms and she looked up to see just a flash of green hair.

"What have you done to my witch?"


	6. Chapter 6

Tiri found the energy to slap the palm of her hand against her forehead. Really? He had to call her _his_ witch in front of not only monsters that couldn't understand, but also their nakama? It was going to be a long afternoon at this rate. Zoro looked down at her with his grumpy expression.

"Oi, what was the big idea? They could have killed you."

"Well, they didn't, so put me down and let me return the favor," she snarled, even though her body felt empty from the antidote.

He shook his head and let out a breath, giving her an annoyed look. She squeaked weakly when she was handed over like a ragdoll to someone with large furry arms. The lavender-haired pirate looked up to see Chopper's muscular form and gave him a small smile.

"Thanks for the medicine, Chopper-san," she said quietly and he smiled down at her.

"You're welcome, Tiri, just hang tight," he replied cradling her carefully, like she was the most fragile thing on the Grand Line.

She patted his shoulder and wiggled.

"I can stand, let me down."

"Are you sure? The poison won't have completely left your system yet and Zoro said-"

"I'm sure. Can't let that Bonehead have all the fun. Besides," she said grimly, "I owe them one."

Reluctantly, he complied as the other members of the crew came ashore. Luffy walked slowly past Tiri, putting his hand on her shoulder, his face unusually serious and his gaze traveled over her slowly, looking for any sign of serious injury.

"Brooke said you might have trouble. Are you injured?"

"Nothing serious, just a few scratches," she shrugged and Zoro folded his arms across his chest and snorted.

"Liar," he muttered and she cuffed him on the shoulder, glaring.

Luffy pushed his hat back with his thumb, stepping past the two of them and his black eyes were narrowed. The tentacles writhed in the air, spiked bulbous forms surfacing from beneath the sand.

"She isn't hurt, but you touched her when she didn't want you to, so that means," Luffy's face was in shadow as he spoke and the way he said those words made a chill run up Tiri's spine. He was deadly serious as he looked up, "I'm going to pummel you from this island."

With that, he stretched his arms back, yelling something that Tiri didn't hear as she had begun melting into petals, but something powerful grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her under their arm. She struggled and craned her neck, her furious silver eyes meeting the cool eyes of Sanji.

"Forgive me, Tiri-san, but you are not fully recovered. It would not be prudent for you to join this battle. Besides, the marimo and Luffy have it taken care of."

With that, she stilled and he released her, setting her gently on her feet. He kept an eye on her though, as Zoro and their captain tore through the creatures, their attacks nothing to their power and it shamed her that she was so easily defeated.

I've got to find some way to redeem myself, she thought, struck with a devious plan. The others were watching the fight closely, if disinterested, so she leaned close to the cook, putting her hand on his chest and whispered in his ear.

"Sanji-kun," she murmured and said something softly.

His face went very red, his cigarette dropped from his lips, heart eyes nearly popping out of his head and he suddenly fell over, like stone. Grinning, she ran into the fray, ducking past Zoro and darting up the hill.

"Oi! What're you doing, Tiri! Stay back!" the swordsman yelled at her but she ignored it, turning on her heel.

She knew she was potentially in the way of any of their attacks, but she had a move of her own, one that she kept only for emergencies. Still, she had her honor to redeem and she definitely did not want to appear weak in front of her nakama, much less let them fight for her when she could defend herself. That bonehead was just going to have to get over it. She spread her arms wide, summoning the power she had been imbued with. Her body glowed a soft purple as she gathered strength, her hair curling even more wildly than it ever had, lengthening and waving about her head like living vines.

"Luffy, Zoro, move!" she yelled and Luffy looked excited, hopping backwards with agility.

Zoro, however, started to run towards her.

"Stop, Tiri, you'll just get yourself killed, you idiot!" his words fell on deaf ears and the glow around her flared.

Petals floated around her, not a part of her, yet they were, breaking off from her hair as she raised her arms above her head with a wicked smile.

"Hey, you bastards," she howled, her silver eyes clouding over into the color of spring lilacs, "eat this!"

She dropped her hands to the sand, firing the power she had been building straight into the ground and there was a pulse of energy, rippling the sand like water. The motion of the sand threw Zoro back and he landed near Luffy.

"Oi, that looks so awesome!" she heard Luffy shout and she grinned.

Green tendrils shot out of the earth, writhing with the brown ones and she made a gesture. The green vine-like things moved to her command, slamming into the enemy tentacles with ferocity. Wrapping around the others tightly, she made a fist and they squeezed, crunching noises popping across the shoreline. Others slammed into the ground like giant hands, smashing the spiked creatures into oblivion.

Within moments, they were all dead or had fled under the earth and Tiri waved her hand, the tendrils withdrew and she released the power she had tightly reined in. Her hair returned to its normal length, while her eyes cleared to their natural mercurial color. She collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily.

"Tiri!" That sounded like Chopper, she thought dimly.

She was lifted then, her head snapping back at the force of the speed in which she was pulled to the shore. Luffy must have grabbed her.

"That was cool, but stupid," she heard her captain say as he placed her gently on her feet and threw an arm over her shoulder.

"Sorry, Luffy. Pride…it can kill you, you know," she joked softly, her body trembling from exertion and one eye open.

He grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up and that was the last thing she remembered.

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><p>When she next awoke, she was in a small bed in an unfamiliar room and she jerked upright. Heavy bandages covered her chest and wrapped around each leg. She looked around wildly, then immediately relaxed, recognizing Chopper's office. Taking a steadying breath, she swung her legs over the side and tried to stand. Her legs didn't want to cooperate, however, and she tumbled to the floor in a heap. Well, at least her shorts were still on, she thought, as the door opened.<p>

A blond head poked in and, seeing her on the floor, immediately put down the tray he'd been carrying and went to her. He knelt down and lifted her like she weighed nothing and she quickly grabbed his shoulders.

"Ah, thank you, Sanji-kun," she said with a small smile, "It seems my legs are not on my side today."

"I'm surprised you're awake, Tiri-san, after all that energy you used. You should be asleep for at least another day, though I'm glad you're not," he murmured quietly.

"What? I've been out for a day?" she squeaked, wriggling a little in his grasp in surprise.

"Yes, but you seem to have quite the stamina, to be up already," he chuckled as he bent to place her back in her bed, pulling the covers over her legs.

She stopped him by taking his hand when he went to straighten and he made a startled noise. She looked up at him sweetly and tugged till he was eye-level with her. She cupped his face in her hands, plucked out his cigarette and placed a soft kiss on his lips before handing the smoke stick back with a smile.

"I owed you that from yesterday," she said, "Thank you, Sanji-kun, you let me gain back my honor."

His blush was completely worth it and she quickly grabbed a towel to help with his nose bleed. Once it had stopped, he brought over the tray of food and she stopped him again when he turned to leave.

"If you're not busy, I'd love some company," she said as she sipped at the soup he had made her.

"Normally, it would be my pleasure to stay and talk with a lovely woman, but I have to make some dinner or Luffy will never forgive me."

She nodded. "Then, how about let the others know I am up?"

He smiled at her, taking his cigarette in hand with a wave and left. She finished her meal and placed the empty tray on the small side table near her bed. Tiri lay back against the pillows, discovering a small pile of books nearby. Robin must have brought them by. As the light faded, she heard a knock on the door and laid down the novel she had dived into.

"Come in," she called with a light tone and was surprised at her visitor.

"Hello there, Franky, what brings you by to see me?" she asked with a welcoming smile and the big man rubbed the back of his neck, one hand hidden behind his back.

"Well, I brought you something that might cheer you up," he replied with a grin and pulled out a key, carved at the top with a lilac blossom.

"What's this?" she asked, taking the key from his outstretched hand with a curious expression.

"It's for your new room. When you're able, I'll show you where it is. I added to the library a bit, so you can have your own bed and the like. That sofa can't be all that comfortable and-"

"That's perfect, thank you, Franky, it's most generous," she said, holding up a hand to stop the flow of nervous words.

He blushed and she chuckled quietly, exchanging a few more pleasantries when Zoro stepped through the door, his cranky frown deeper than she had ever seen it.

"Franky, I'd like a word with her, if you don't mind," the politeness of his tone had her instantly wary.

The cyborg nodded, patting Tiri on her arm before walking out of the door, which shut behind him with a soft click. The swordsman turned to her then and she folded her arms across her chest in a defensive posture. His good eye roved over the bandages that covered her torso as he moved across the room to pull a chair next to her bed and straddle it. He propped his elbow on the back of the chair and rested his chin on the upraised palm.

She took a breath, meeting his eyes.

"I'm sorry if I worried you. That was not my intent. I needed to beat those creatures, more than you did."

"I know."

She made an astonished noise, her eyes widening, then they narrowed.

"But…you're still angry at me. Why?"

He didn't answer right away, his free hand coming up to run across the bandages that crossed over her shoulder. Zoro's head was bent, covering his face in shadow, so that she couldn't see his expression. His fingers trailed up her shoulder to caress her neck, finally coming to rest against her hair. Tiri watched him warily, not at all certain of the outcome of this exchange. But then, was there anything about this bonehead she was certain about, besides the fact he irritated her to no end. And that he was an amazing kisser. And that his body was enough to- ok, stop that train of thought.

"I'm not angry, exactly. More like, perturbed," he finally said and she tilted her head a bit, definitely not leaning into his touch, just encouraging him to continue.

"Perturbed about what? My injuries? My actions?"

"Stop being so self-centered, witch," he chided her and she snorted, jerking her head away from his touch, but he captured her chin in his hand lightly and making her look at him.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know what to do about how I felt when Brooke came back and said you were fighting out there alone."

To say she was stunned would have been an understatement. She felt her jaw drop and he scowled at her until she closed it with a snap. She uncrossed her arms, coming up to swing her legs over the bed, so she could face him fully.

"What was it about what you felt that perturbed you, to use your word?" she asked quietly.

"Eh, it was just strange," he said simply, closing his eyes and leaning back with his hands behind his head.

She put her hands to her face before looking back at him.

"Was it like when I do this?"

"What-" but she had grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him to her, her lips finding his in a searing kiss that made her mind spin and butterflies erupt in her stomach.

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she took advantage of his parted lips, her tongue skimming his bottom lip to meet his in a war for dominance of the kiss. His hands, once hovering in the air in surprise, now wound their way around her waist, pulling her as close to him as the back of the chair would allow. She winced suddenly and pulled away, a shooting pain in her side dousing the flames dancing in her veins.

"Ow, ow, ow," she groused, putting a hand to her dressings before stiffening in embarrassment, a flush creeping into her cheeks.

Zoro crooked an eyebrow at her, a smirk playing around his lips before carefully testing the area where she was in pain. He withdrew his hand with a frown.

"It's pretty warm, you might still be at risk for infection," he commented quietly, "I'll tell Chopper to make some salve for you."

He started to move, but she squeezed his shoulders to keep him still.

"You didn't answer my question, Bonehead," she replied playfully, her head tilting in an expectant way.

"What question?" and she swatted at him with a grin.

"It's more like this," he said, pressing his lips to hers again briefly, "and my stomach does a weird flip thing. Except it was the kind of flip where I just wanted to break something instead of…"

He trailed off and she quirked a brow at him.

"Instead of, what?" she pressed and he chuckled, pulling her back for another kiss, this one more heated than the last and his lips blazed a hot trail down her throat as one hand tangled in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist.

Tiri let her head fall back as his mouth did wicked, wicked things to her, finding and biting lightly at a particularly sensitive spot just under her ear.

"Instead of wanting to bend you over a barrel and give you the spanking you deserve for putting up with you, witch," he said hotly into her ear, making her shiver and let out a small moan.

"Like I'd let you, Bonehead," she replied huskily, letting her lips brush against his before bringing her feet up to push against the chair and crawl back under the covers.

"You wouldn't have a desire to resist," was the growled response and she gave him a look that clearly said 'Promises, promises'.

"Get some sleep; you're going to need it when you start back training. You need to master that little technique of yours."

"Little!" she almost screeched, sitting bolt upright in anger, "That technique takes everything out of me, you Bonehead, how does that make it little?"

"For that reason. When you can use it and not pass out afterwards, then you'll have made some progress."

With her sputtering in indignation, he rose with a smirk and left. She crossed her arms and kicked at the blankets in irritation, lying back and pillowing her head on her arms.

Bastard.

That was the thought that carried her to sleep.

* * *

><p>After a few days, she was well enough that she could leave Chopper's little room and, with Franky's key in hand, she went to the library and immediately spotted the new door. When she placed the key in the lock and opened it, she lost her breath. It was stunning, hand carved furniture, lilacs growing along their sides and lengthwise across the bunk that was her bed. He had lined shelves along the walls and had built her a small desk. There was even a trunk for the new clothes she had bought. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. This was such a beautiful gesture from her nakama and she had no way of repaying it. What had she done to deserve such a kindness?<p>

"You're just you, Tiri-san. A lovely woman deserves a lovely room," Sanji's voice said from behind her and she turned.

"Ah, such a beautiful expression," He sang out, his heart eyes making her giggle and she wiped her eyes.

"No, no, this," she gestured, "is a beautiful expression. I really will have to find something special to thank Franky for this."

Sanji suddenly turned serious, lighting a cigarette with a smooth motion.

"Why, Tiri-san? This is what he loves to do. By repaying him, you would be lessening the gesture. If you want to thank him, smile every time you come in here."

"You are right," she said with a smile, "But I should still tell him how much I love it."

The cook nodded and she crossed her arms loosely as she leaned against the door jam.

"Anyway, Sanji-kun, what'd you come by for?"

He blew out a ring of smoke before stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I wanted to see your reaction when you saw the room, and-"

She raised a brow when he went silent. "And what?"

Tiri asked, but he just stood with his head bowed for several heartbeats. When she blinked, he was in front of her and she had to tilt her head far back to look into his face, which was unusually unreadable. She started to open her lips to ask him again, but he placed a finger over them, an emotion behind the eye she could see that was hard to figure out. His hand reached up and threw away his cigarette, then out and took hers in his, placing it on his chest and she frowned in confusion.

Suddenly, his lips were on hers, warm and soft. Tiri made a surprised sound, a flush sweeping up her neck as they parted.

"I-I wanted to feel that again," he murmured, "And…I need to know-to know what it is that you-"

She cut him off with a second kiss, this one on his cheek and as chaste as she could possibly make it.

"I don't know, Sanji-kun. I don't know what I feel these days. But I do know that I care for all of you and... the last thing I want to do is hurt anyone. That…has to be enough for now."

He took a shaky breath and nodded. Tiri bumped her forehead to his affectionately.

"Besides, what chance does a girl like me have with a man like you when gorgeous women like Robin-san and Nami-san are here also competing for your attentions?" she teased, lightening the mood and he chuckled.

"You seem to never be at a lack for words, Tiri-chan," he replied and she was pleased to hear the change.

"When it happens, take cover, something bad is about to go down," she laughed.

"I won't doubt it."

She nodded with a small smile and stepped around him, running a hand through his blonde locks in an attempt to soothe what she knew was a stinging feeling left by her words, despite their gentleness. It wouldn't ease much, but it was all she had to offer.

As she stepped onto the deck, coated in a light drizzle, she let out the breath she had been holding and quietly went to the railing. She stared out at the sea, cupping her chin in her hand. Her emotions were churning and she honestly wasn't sure what to think. Sanji was sweet, but…his kiss had felt…hollow…compared to the ones she had shared with the swordsman. But, Zoro was a bonehead and frustrated her to no end. She hadn't lied to Sanji, she was far from certain how she felt.

She knew, however, that she needed to get stronger. It was time to step up her training. Hopefully, it wasn't going to kill her in the process. She still had quite a bit to do.

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><p><strong><em>AN: Ok, would love some feedback on this development, it was supa fun to right (sorry, Franky pun was irresistable...) Really, what woman wouldn't want to be between those two? *Fans self* ANyhoo, hope you enjoyed it :D_**

**_Stay tuned_**


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Here's the new chappie, hope you guys enjoy it! Please give me some feedback on this one, I'm unsure about it and I'd love to know what you all are thinking. It was a ton of fun to write though! Stay tuned!**_

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><p>Tiri swore as steel bit deeply into the flesh of her palm. A crimson line formed, a red slash down the length of her hand and she grimaced before closing it in a fist. She clutched the hand to her chest, biting her lip in pain. She looked up from the wound at the swordsman, gritting her teeth.<p>

"How-how did you do that?" she ground out and he shrugged, shouldering the two training swords he wielded.

"It wasn't like it was difficult," he said matter-of-factly and she scowled, tearing off a piece of her shirt and wiping up the thin trickle of blood.

She had summoned a single tendril, trying to conserve her energy and he had flung it back at her with just the flat of the blade, the razor sharp edge of it slicing into her hand. This wasn't what she had in mind when he had said he would help her strengthen her abilities.

"I don't have enough control over them, it seems," she replied calmly, more so than she felt. What would be the point of getting pissy about it?

Ignoring the throbbing ache in her hand, she straightened then leaned back against the wall, her arms loosely crossed beneath her breasts. Her eyes were focused on her bare feet, crossed at the ankles. Tiri frowned as Zoro merely stood nearby, letting her work out whatever is was that was going through her mind.

"I need to create something different, something that isn't as draining," she murmured, thinking out loud, her silvery eyes closing in concentration.

"The attack I used on the last island should be for a large number of enemies only. So, the question becomes, how can I make a single tendril effective enough to take down one opponent? You turned it aside so easily. Then…"

She trailed off, lifting away from the wall, a glint in her eyes as they opened, determination etched into her features and Zoro gave her an appraising look. Flexing her hands, she darted, disappearing in a blur. In their weeks of training, she had picked up this smallest of tricks he had attempted to teach her. But, for her, it was merely a diversionary tactic. Her unhurt hand gestures, a tendril flying out and Zoro deftly parried the attack. However, she whipped her body around, her leg coming up, tendrils wrapping around it, spiny and thick. She kicked from the left as he was distracted and he leapt back, barely dodging with a feral grin. Nimbly, he caught her leg with a single hand.

"Not bad, witch, you thought that one through," he chuckled and she smiled, dropping her stance as he dropped her leg.

"Well, it never hurts to experiment," she answered mildly, stretching; "I think I've had enough for today."

He snorted. "You tire too quickly."

"It isn't that, Sanji-kun promised me that he'd teach me how to make something special today."

She walked to where she had tossed her towel, shoving it over her head and rubbing away the sweat briskly. Ick, she still needed to take a shower, she thought with a sniff. Zoro gave her a look and she glowered at him.

"What's your problem, bonehead?"

He was beside her in an instant, his hands on her waist and his breath warm on her neck, making her shiver.

"You spending time with that ero-cook, instead of me, that's what," he growled, lips trailing a light, teasing path down from her ear to her shoulder and she closed her eyes in enjoyment.

"Just what would make you think that you're worth my time?" she asked with a smirk, her hands reaching back to wrap loosely around his neck.

"I wonder that myself, at times," he murmured, his hands snaking their way around her waist, thumbs brushing the bared skin of her midriff.

She didn't reply, turning her head so that her lips met his in an achingly slow kiss. His thumbs rubbed small circles on the soft flesh of her stomach before inching higher, his fingertips a feather's touch against her skin. Tiri parted her lips in silent invitation and he accepted, their tongues meeting only to dance away again. Zoro slid his hands down again, palms dragging against the curve of her ribcage to settle on her hips. Reluctantly, she pulled out of his loose embrace with a soft smile and stepped towards the hatch that led down to the deck.

"I'll see you at dinner," she called, not waiting for a response, but catching the lazy grin that was aimed in her direction.

* * *

><p>The wind was strong today, so she easily descended, hopping down to the grass with a light step. Following the scent of cigarette smoke, she strode to the galley, lifting a hand with a bright smile at the play of some of her younger nakama. Tiri walked through the door, humming a nameless tune that was playing through her head at that moment. Brooke, who has seated at the table sipping his trademark cup of tea, chatting idly with Sanji as he prepared the evening meal. The skeleton turned to acknowledge the lavender-haired pirate with his usual toothy grin.<p>

"Yohohohoho, Tiri-san, what is that song you're humming? I've never heard it."

Tiri lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "I don't know, exactly. I'm always making up music. It goes with being made out of flowers," she joked, "How can I do less than what is expected of me?"

"Indeed, still, let me see, let me see…" Brooke trailed off, unfolding his tall body from the chair and walking out of the door, a finger tapping against the hard bone of his jaw in thought.

Tiri watched him leave, and then shrugged again, coming around the long table and into the kitchen. Sanji watched her move with a smile and Tiri was pleased to see no heart eyes or nose bleeds. Well, her training outfit of t-shirt and long pants wasn't exactly as revealing as some of the clothes Nami wore, so perhaps he was becoming immune to the lesser charms of the feminine form. She hoped so at least, there weren't any towels handy right then.

"Hello, Sanji-kun," she greeted him brightly, padding across the floor to lean back against the counter near the sink as he chopped vegetables.

"Tiri-chan," he murmured with a shy smile, cigarette dangling from the corner of his lips.

They stood in companionable silence for a while as she watched him work. The steady sound of his knife thumping against the cutting board relaxed her. Something about cooking always made her feel that way. Perhaps that was why she was so comfortable around Sanji, except when he gave her the heart eyes; that was just weird. Still, she pushed away from the counter and crossed the kitchen. Tiri hopped and landed easily on the countertop next to him, pulling her legs under her to sit cross-legged, her chin cupped in a palm.

"What are you going to show me how to make?" she queried, tilting her head and rubbing at her cold toes.

"I hadn't really planned yet. But, why don't you tell me what your favorites are, and we'll see," he asked, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Eh, alright, good idea. Well, I love strawberries, and rice. I really like seafood, so being a pirate is easy in that respect. Hmmm, that's all I can think of at the moment," she replied, her expression one of idle contentment.

He chuckled.

"Well, that's an easy list. I think we have some strawberries left, why don't I make you some tarts for you?"

She clapped her hands together with a huge grin, excitement making her silvery eyes sparkle.

"Awesome!" she chirped, unfolding her legs and dangling them over the side, still grinning.

He returned her smile, stopping to take the last pull on his cigarette before flicking it away and shoving his hands in his pockets as he shuffled to the large pantry. He emerged a moment later with a small basket, setting it down. He then dumped all the freshly chopped vegetables into the pot on the stove, a delicious scent wafting past Tiri's nose and making her mouth water. Cleaning his knife, he then carefully cut off the green leaves at the top of the fruit, red juice leaking onto the new board he was using. She dipped a finger in the sweet liquid, closing her eyes in pleasure at the taste as she popped the digit into her mouth.

In sheer happiness, she started humming again, and then jerked upright when she heard the sound of a fiddle echoing the tune.

"Wha?" she asked in surprise, turning her head and leaning over to peer out over the sink towards the doorway in curiosity, music floating in the air merrily.

"Oi? That's your song?" Sanji asked, lighting another cigarette and cocking his head, "It's very lively."

"Well, yeah, it's a little tune I made up this morning, but it seems like Brooke added his own touches. I rather like it," she commented, bobbing her head.

Tiri sprang down, laughing and moving her feet to the melody, her arms weaving about her head as she danced. Sanji laughed too, her movements in sync with the tempo they could hear and he apparently found the woman's twirling in his kitchen highly amusing. Without warning, he lifted his hands from his pockets, catching hers and pulling her to him. She followed, and he held her smaller hand in his, the other covering hers on his chest, both of them swaying to the music. Tiri grinned, delighted, and he spun her, his steps light and graceful.

Sanji spun her out, their hands linked and then tugged her back, circling in his steps till they had switched, releasing her. Tiri twisted, and whirled back towards him, Sanji catching her easily before she bumped into him, his hands landing on her waist and hers on his shoulders. She was giggling like mad and he couldn't seem to help but grin. Perhaps taken in the spur of the moment, he lifted her and twirled, Tiri lifting her hands and shrieking in glee.

He set her on the counter as the music played, the faint sound of their nakama's merriment reaching her ears. His hands stayed on her waist, one lifting to flick away his cigarette into the sink, before returning. Something flickered across his face even though his smile remained the same, but it was an expression she wasn't familiar with. That was when she noticed how close they were and she fought down the blush that was insistent on staining her cheeks.

"S-Sanji?" she whispered as his gaze focused intently on her face, her hands restless on his shoulders.

"Tiri," he murmured, a hand lifting to brush a stray lilac-colored curl away from her face, tucking it behind her ear, "Do you know how lovely you are when you smile like that?"

She shook her head, nervous and unsure how to extract herself from this situation. Tiri's tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry lips and she gave him a small smile.

"No, I don't, but it's something a girl never gets tired of hearing," she joked weakly and he chuckled quietly, his hand moving from her hair to cup her cheek.

"Never at a loss for words, are you?" he asked softly, repeating the question he had asked her before and she shook her head with a crooked grin.

He made a quiet "Hmmm," and leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers, closing his eyes and Tiri's searched his face for some clue of his intent. Then, he reached up again, lacing his fingers with hers and placing them both over his heart. She could feel its beating, nearly as hard as hers, and she swallowed.

"You do this, you know," he whispered, a smile curving his lips before he stepped back, letting her hand fall away and she placed both of them on the counter at her sides.

Sanji turned a little, dipping his finger in the strawberries, lifting it coated in the fruit's juice. A playful glint was in his eyes and he smeared it on her lips with a grin. She jerked back, laughing. There, that was a mood she could deal with. Grinning, she licked her top lip, humming at the sweet taste as she swayed her legs back and forth.

"Yummy," she said with a happy smile and he returned it, the look on his face making her stomach flip in a way similar to how she felt around Zoro when he smiled like that.

The emotion startled her, but she kept it off her face, closing her eyes briefly so that he wouldn't see. It was a strong feeling and it scared her a little. Tiri bit her bottom lip and she heard a strangled sound, making her eyes snap open.

"Yummy is right," he muttered, stepping close to her again, his hands braced on either side of hers.

Before she could ask him what he meant exactly, his lips were on hers and she made a small noise. But, as his lips melded against hers, her eyes drifted closed and she responded, her mouth moving against his, noting the taste of cigarettes and something sweet. Her hands flexed at her sides when he slid his tongue out to taste the strawberry flavor of her lower lip. Tiri's lips parted in a tiny gasp and he immediately took the advantage, his tongue darting past her lips to touch hers, letting out a groan when she answered. Heat crept over her flesh at just the contact of their lips, then flared in her abdomen as one of his hands trailed up her arm to cup the back of her neck, deepening the kiss, the other resting on her hip. She slid her own hands up his chest, enjoying the feel of the softness of his shirt over his lean chest, coming to rest there.

Finally, the need for air parted them, both of them breathing heavily. God help her, she was only human and a kiss like that would make any woman have the exact same reaction she had. Then his mouth had slanted over hers again and she forgot to argue with herself about the situation. Her hands fisted in his shirt as his lips left hers to skim across her jaw, and she heard him take a breath, his hand entangled in her hair as he buried his face in the violet curls, breathing in deeply.

"God, you smell good," he murmured, his lips brushing against her temple.

She chuckled weakly and closed her eyes, summoning a tiny portion of her power and the kitchen was suddenly flooded with the scent of lilacs. Tiri heard him make a sound and she smiled.

"It doesn't smell as good as your cooking, but," he cut her off with another kiss, but she pulled away gently, shaking her head.

"Sanji, I-I- we have to stop," she protested huskily and he gave her a look that clearly asked her why and she bit her lip.

"If you want to stop, don't do that," he said with a groan, capturing her lips again and she didn't stop him this time, his words making her stomach flutter, "And don't say my name like that," he muttered between kisses.

"The one is a habit and the other is your fault," she replied breathlessly when they parted once more, forcing the confusion in her mind down as he chuckled, both his hands cupping her face.

"I didn't hear you complain," he responded with a cocky grin and she lightly cuffed him in the shoulder.

"You didn't give me a chance," she objected, wriggling away and scooting down the counter to find her feet, hoping like hell she wasn't as jelly-legged as she felt.

Tiri managed and she cleared her throat pointedly, finally noticing that the music had stopped.

"So, are you going to show me how to make strawberry tarts or what?" she asked over her shoulder and idly picking up random objects on the counter.

"Alright," came the response close to her ear, his lanky arms coming around her making her jump a little, but then she smiled and they set to work.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed quietly and without incident as she learned a new skill at the hands of another master. Tiri enjoyed watching his nimble fingers mold dough, how they guided her more slender, smaller ones in the same motion. She felt content, but her mind was busy even as she listened to his instructions. He was using this as an excuse to be near her, she wasn't a fool. Still, while his kisses had burned and she had felt the stir of her body, something was missing. Her thoughts strayed often to that boneheaded swordsman, and how, when he had claimed her as his witch on the sand island, something had stirred deep in her being too.<p>

Sanji was a great kisser, on par with Zoro, but the exchange had not touched her the same way, echoing her sentiments from the first time he had kissed her. No, she felt something when they touched; affection, a fondness, but his touch didn't sear her skin, the thought of him didn't fill her with the wildness that Zoro did. She let out a small breath. She was going to have to end this, before he really got hurt. As he placed the tarts in the oven, she leaned back against the sink with a deep frown.

"Sanji-kun," she said quietly and he turned, lighting another cigarette.

"Oi? What is it?" he asked, the smoke stick in hand and taking a deep drag of smoke before letting it out in a sigh.

The look her gave her was serious as she remained silent, groping for the words she needed. He moved to stand in front of her, tugging on her hand so she stood straight and she tipped her head back to look up at him. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her in a loose hug.

"I know what you're going to say," he said softly, "I see how you and that shitty marimo look at one another. There's more there with him than there is with me."

The sadness in his voice made her heart ache, but she nodded.

"I can't say I'm sorry about that, Sanji," she whispered, "Just that I'm sorry that I can't be what you're looking for."

He grunted and she felt him bury his nose in her curls.

"It's alright…just…let me hold you like this once in a while."

Her lips curled into a small smile.

"Deal."

Even as the word left her lips, she pulled away and placed her palm against his rough cheek. He put his hands in his pockets, his hair covering one of his eyes.

"Deal…as long as you promise not to kiss me like that again. Next time, I might not be able to say no," she teased him and was pleased at the smirk he gave her.

"Oh really?" he murmured, leaning close once more, but she neatly sidestepped.

"We made a deal, remember?" she laughed and he chuckled.

"Fine, but you can't blame a man for trying."

"No, no I can't," she replied, "But I should get going and let you finish cooking. I…need some time to think about a few things."

One thing she had come to realize in that short afternoon was that she trusted Sanji enough to be completely honest with him, something she hadn't bestowed on anyone with the exception of Luffy, if he had ever cared to ask her. Tiri wouldn't hide her thoughts from him and he seemed to at least appreciate that. He nodded and she turned on her heel, striding out of the galley. The late afternoon sunshine warmed her skin and she sighed, flopping down on the grass with a deep frown. Her mind raced and spun, twisting in numerous directions and she let it, needing to sort out the clutter. A green-haired head popped into her vision and she looked up with a mock scowl.

"You're blocking my view, Bonehead," she groused and he smirked. Tiri had decided then and there not to ever tell him what had happened between her and Sanji.

"Oi, really? Well, the one I have is better than yours," he responded, his words warming her even as he gave her his grumpy look.

"Is that a backhanded compliment?" she teased, letting her arms be a pillow for her head, even as she shook it.

He was never going to be as tender as Sanji could be, but…

"Take it how you will," he replied, cutting off her thoughts. No, definitely not going to be like Sanji, she thought with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

He sat down next to her, his forearms resting easily on his thighs. He crossed his arms and she looked over at him as he stared out across the sea. Tiri rolled onto her stomach, resting her chin on her arms and followed his gaze. She felt his hand come to rest on her head a moment, before beginning to slid through the curly strands, as close as she knew she was going to get to an affectionate gesture from the man.

She made a decision then. Time would tell if it was the right one.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter, luvs. School's about to start back, so chapter updates may be sporadic from now on. Still, leave some love for the poor writer, eh, and let her know what you think. Gives hope too, you know, those review thingies...makes my day and all. ANyhoo, enjoy and stay tuned!**_

_**WARNING: LEMONNESS! YE HAVE BEEN WARNED!**_

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><p>"Oi, are you out of your mind? What good is it going to do you? Stick with what you know, witch," was the words that assaulted her the next morning when she climbed up to the crow's nest.<p>

"What I know is that I need to get stronger. Fighting with a weapon I am not the most proficient with will accomplish that. And you're a swordsman, so the conclusion is a logical one," she replied calmly, moving her body as he had shown her.

He snorted, correcting her posture with a hand to her lower back.

"Keep your back straight, shoulders back," he said, changing the subject, "If your body reflects confidence, so will your abilities."

She nodded, continuing the motion, her hands surging forwards before pulling back and somersaulting. Zoro grunted.

"What the hell was that? Do you always have to make the movements flashy?" he complained grouchily, frowning.

"Do you always have to find something wrong with me?" she exploded at him, her voice containing a rough edge that had him taking a step back.

She couldn't take anymore. There was nothing she could do that was right and she stomped towards the nearest window, determined to hop out and away, anywhere on the blasted ship but near him.

The breeze from the ocean calmed her somewhat, though it did little to improve her mood. Tiri let out a breath and moved to another window and threw it wide, letting in the afternoon light. Zoro watched her with his good eye as she moved around the room, until all the windows were gaping to the blue of sea and sky. She turned to him then, a grimness twisting her features and she vanished. He waited for the attack, his body tense. The scent of lilacs was everywhere, mingling with the salt in the wind.

Tiri observed him as she darted around the room. With little effort, she whipped her arm out as she moved; the petals she sent flying a violet blur as they slashed across his exposed stomach, but his expression never changed. Still, his eye flicked down for the split second she needed. The power in her body surged and she summoned twin tendrils from the floor just behind him. They wrapped round his legs tightly as she ran straight at the far wall, before twisting and using the momentum to brace her foot, then launched straight at him.

"Wha-"

Tiri's lips pulled back into a feral smile as she crossed her arms, pulling power from her being into a sphere of lavender light between her palms. It all happened in a matter of seconds and she thrust the energy right at his chest, petals flying from it as she enhanced her closed fists into a shockwave of energy as they collided with the solidness of his upper body. She heard him grunt as it hit him full force and she leaped back, lightly panting. He raised his head as the tendrils disappeared.

"That's new for you," he commented, then gave her a shrug, looking disinterested, "Except the sneakiness. That, I expected."

"Being an asshole, you're an expert on someone sneaking up on you," she bit back nastily, standing and striding to the hatch that led to the deck.

An entire fortnight had been spent like this, she trained, he instructed, and they fought with words as much as limbs, tearing at one another like raging beasts. She had no idea what drove him to seemingly put her down at every opportunity, but he had finally pushed her to the end of her patience. Tiri knew it wasn't going to do her any good to be this angry, to walk out right then, and that his taunting was more than likely a strategy intended to keep her focused. Even though her head knew all of those things, there was a part of her that stung from the constant verbal war. At the moment, her eyes stung a little too, but she'd be damned if she let him see it. Fine, if he wouldn' t teach her how to become a swordswoman, then she would learn herself. How was it different from the rest of her life?

"You're beyond infuriating," she hissed over her shoulder.

"Giving up already?" he taunted her, but she wouldn't rise to the bait.

"No, I'm getting away from you," she snarled viciously, throwing the hatch open with a snatching motion, "As far as I can."

If she had turned to look, she would have seen an expression that bordered on pain as she climbed down the ladder. She would have heard him sigh and cross to the window to stare out across the Grand Line and heard him murmur words that may have soothed her own hurt. As it was, the only thing that caught his apology was the wind, and it carried far out across the water where only the seagulls could hear it.

* * *

><p>Zoro stood watch that night and for the first time in two months there was no one to bring him a warm meal for the task. His stomach rumbled, but he didn't seem to notice. His eye shifted over as someone stepped out of the darkness, the shape giving her away.<p>

"What are you doing up this late?" he asked, obviously not really caring.

"Hoping to check on a friend…and to give you a warning," the raven-haired woman replied quietly, the wind barely ruffling her straight locks.

"Eh?" he asked, a gleam of interest reflected in his eye.

"Tiri-san talks in her sleep, did you know?" she asked casually, cornflower blue eyes glancing over to him.

"Why should that matter to me? And how do you know?"

"I spend a large amount of time in the library and she never closes her door, to answer your implication. She is troubled…as am I and, as I suspect, so are you."

He snorted and turned his head, clearly dismissing her, but she wasn't done.

"I do not know what has passed between you and it is not my business. But, your name and that of another passes her lips often in her sleep. Her dreams appear troubled and when I go in her room in the mornings to wake her, the pillow is damp when she rises."

Zoro's shoulders tensed in the moonlight as her words sunk in. His face appeared bewildered and uncertain.

"You both obviously enjoy each other's company and you are closer to her than most of the others," she continued, "However, if you don't fix whatever it is that you did to her, she is going to the arms of someone else, to be perfectly blunt. Do what you will, but I thought it best you should be aware of this."

As she turned to leave, he murmured, "Thanks…I'll look into it."

It was all she could possibly expect and she returned to the window.

"Do it now then. You may not have tomorrow," she quietly rejoined and the swordsman nodded.

Robin allowed herself a small smile when he descended the ladder without another word and she breathed in the salty air deeply. Perhaps it would be enough, perhaps not. Still, for her nakama to be happy, even those who held as many secrets as herself, she would always try to give that gift to them. It was the very least she owed. There was a deep chuckling to her left and she turned her head slightly to smile in that direction.

"You're a meddlesome lady, Nico Robin," a voice rumbled close to her side, large arms wrapping around the slight woman.

"So I am," she murmured, tracing light fingers across the intriguing mix of metal and flesh, "But you like that about me…Franky."

"So I do."

There was no need for more words after that.

* * *

><p>Tiri tossed in her bed, her restless mind unable or unwilling to sleep. Disgruntled and hot, she kicked away the covers in disgust, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Letting them dangle, she unlatched the porthole over her bed and crossed her legs beneath her, closing her eyes and letting the cool night air wash over her in relief. It has never her habit to leave a window open when she slept, but this night she was tempted. They were nowhere near land and the heat was oppressive.<p>

Better to be safe than sorry, as the saying went. Letting out a sigh she stood, grabbing the towel that hung on a hook near the door. Near noiseless steps padded down the hall to the bathroom and she shut the door behind her, but didn't bother to lock it. No one else was up to her knowledge except Zoro and he was on watch. Tiri slipped out of her night shift and turned on the water. The shower was large, hot spray battering at her body as steam filled the room. Sweat was washed away, the water's heat a respite due to its dampness.

Her lavender curls clung about her shoulders and face and she lifted her arms to sweep them back. Moonlight streamed into the room as she placed her hands under the water, then crossed them loosely beneath her breasts and turned her back to the pounding spray, closing her eyes. Her mind needed to sort and she allowed it to run its course, not really paying attention to its twisting path through her consciousness. The feelings she had for the boneheaded swordsman both irked and warmed her, just as he did. That was really what her mind wanted to muck through, but she firmly slammed it down. She was tired and weary of the carousel of emotions that he brought up.

She didn't hear the click of the door opening and closing, her mind distracting her from her surroundings.

Under normal circumstances, as soon as the hand touched her arm, she would have evaporated into the night air, but she was too startled. She tilted her head back and her gaze was met with a piercing one, the smell of steel enveloping her like the steam.

Surprise was quickly overwhelmed by anger as the water pounded down on both of them and she scowled.

"Is it not enough that you have to talk down to me when we train, you bonehead? Do you have to seek me out for that purpose as well?" she snarled, silver eyes flashing in the moonshine.

He didn't respond, his face a blank mask. However, his eye glittered down at her. Water streamed down their bodies, his clothes plastered to his muscular frame. His silence only incensed her further and she jerked away from him, too pissed to care that she was buck naked in front of the man. He didn't seem to have noticed yet, either, his gaze fixed on her face.

"What is it this time? You've already torn through my abilities, my integrity, my worth to your time, which apparently isn't much," her voice was ragged, pained, but she was too upset to notice, eyes bright with the unshed evidence of her unhappiness.

He still didn't answer and she stood defiant, pushing back the damp curls that drooped into her vision, scorn, insecurity, and hurt mingling in her voice and her face.

"Is it about my body this time? Do I not measure up to your expectations as a woman and as a warrior? Well?" she pressed, torn between wanting him to speak and wanting to just disappear.

She chose the latter, pride enough to hold back tears, but not enough to keep her there. She began to melt into the darkness, content to let the water wash her away with her pain.

Zoro caught her then, pulling her to him, trapping her hands between his and holding them to his chest. His expression was still unreadable, though hers reflected the negative turn of her churning emotions. She searched his face, looking for answers and finding none. The water cascaded around them, its pitter patter against the tile of the walls and the floor a distant echo, fading into the background until she could only hear the stuttering beat of her heart.

He lifted one hand, the other holding hers to his chest, and trailed fingers across her cheek, tilting his head. She could still make out the moss color of his hair in the moonlight.

"You do not disappoint me and you know why I say what I do. So, why does it bother you?" he asked gruffly, his bewilderment finally reflected in his questions.

She shook her head.

"You really are a bonehead, you know that?"

"Don't answer a question with a question."

"Fine."

She stood on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his softly, pouring everything she felt into that gentle kiss.

"That's why," she whispered when she pulled back, unable to explain in any other way.

It must have been enough, because he growled low in his throat and moved his hand to the back of her neck, slanting his lips over hers in a kiss full of need and desire that had been denied far too long. He released her hands and she slid them up the damp fabric to grip his shoulders as his arm wrapped around the curve of her bare waist. He seemed to have finally realized her lack of clothing because he growled again and Tiri idly noted the feel of the wall at her back.

"Bonehead," she muttered as his mouth blazed a hot trail across her jaw to plant bone melting, open mouthed kisses to the sensitive skin just beneath her ear.

"You really are a witch," he murmured into the delicate shell, his hands tracing the smooth skin of her shoulders, "Everywhere I go, your scent lingers in the air. Lilacs… it's intoxicating…"

He pulled back once more, his heated gaze raking over her body and the hunger in his face made her shiver, the desire in his eye reassuring her more than words ever could.

She shuddered again as his mouth moved down the column of her neck, tongue following the meandering path of a stray droplet of water as her hands fisted into the material of his robe. His lips found her again, the intensity of the kiss making her knees weak and she was grateful for the support at her back. She moved her hands up to stroke through his short hair, pulling away from his mouth to pepper his jaw with feather light kisses. She glided her lips along his throat, biting lightly at his Adam's apple, feminine pride swelling in her chest when he made a rumbling sound at her boldness. With a sure touch she pushed away his robe from his broad shoulders, the sodden fabric flopping down to hang around his lower back.

Tiri leaned forward as his hands roamed the soft skin of her arms, back, shoulders, sides, almost everywhere and rose on her toes to reach his ear.

"You, bonehead, are much too overdressed for a shower," she chuckled huskily and was pleased at the slight shiver she felt race through his body at her words and at her fingertips slipping down to the cinch at his waist.

Nimble fingers pried apart the wet knot and the robe was allowed to fall to the floor. She placed her lips against the water slickened physique of his chest, enjoying the juxtaposition of smooth skin and hard muscle. His hands had strayed back to her waist as hers worked at his belt, but the slippery metal was proving difficult. With a chuckle, he pulled her back up to his lips, one hand tangling in lavender curls as the other easily undid the stubborn strap, tossing it aside. Tiri felt like she was burning when his hands skated their way up her ribcage to cup her breasts in his palms, brushing over sensitive coral buds with calloused thumbs.

She let out a moan then, her tongue dancing against his as he rolled the tips between his fingers, before breaking away from her lips, one hand leaving its play to slip around her waist to bend her back. His mouth blazed across her collarbone down the slope of one breast to swirl his tongue around the pebbled skin before taking it into his mouth. Zoro suckled the tip and Tiri gasped, the hot sensation lancing through her straight to the fire that was being stoked low in her belly. His hand at her back caressed the skin it found there.

Tiri's nails dug into the flesh of his shoulders before dragging down the exposed skin of his back, then up again to fist in his short hair. His tongue flicked over the pert tip, making her back arch, then switched. Tiri was certain he intended to drive her mad, the empty ache in her body almost too much. As he straightened to find her lips again, she felt his own desire for her brushing insistently against the soft skin of her stomach and she couldn't resist rubbing her body against his. Zoro's hips bucked against her and she allowed herself a small smirk.

"Tiri," he ground out in warning, but she ignored him, her hands sliding down from his shoulders to dance teasingly along the waistline of his trousers.

She dipped her fingers beneath the band and touched him softly for the first time, running gentle fingers against the velvety tip and he hissed out a breath. Feeling empowered by his reaction, she swept her tongue against his bottom lip, timing it with a sure stroke of her hand against his hardened length.

"Enough, witch," he muttered hoarsely, tugging her hands away from his body and trapping them above her head.

She smiled wickedly, and then moaned when she felt his calloused fingertips sliding against the slick folds of her femininity. It was his turn to smirk, his thumb circling the engorged bud of nerves just above her opening as he eased two fingers into her core, crooking them upwards in a manner that spoke of experience. Tiri moaned again, her hips moving against his hand and her commands that they remain still. The swordsman withdrew his sinfully clever fingers, then returned, finding a quick, shallow rhythm that had her panting his name wantonly.

"Zoro," she breathed as his lips found hers.

"Say it again," he commanded as his thumb quickened its pace and she obeyed, his name tumbling past her lips in a breathy moan.

He growled against her mouth as the motions of his hand drove her to the precipice and over, her hips bucking helplessly. She felt the shockwaves burst through her body, rippling powerfully and leaving her breathless. He withdrew from her and she immediately missed the heat of his frame, but then he returned and she was faintly aware of the water's lukewarm droplets still falling around them. Tiri was also dimly aware that he had shed the rest of his clothing and she let her silvery eyes glide over his revealed body, marveling at the rippling of muscles, the result of a lifetime of training.

He braced his hands on either side of her shoulders then as she leaned weakly against the wall of the shower. Their lips met in a slow, aching melding, but the flames were too hot, too high, and the kiss became frantic as she wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted one leg to twine about his waist. Agilely, she wedged herself against the wall and the other slender limb joined its mate, the tip of his hot length nudging the damp lavender curls of her womanhood, making Zoro give out a strained noise as his hands rested on her hips.

She thrust her hips forward, rubbing against him, slickening him with her body and his larger frame shuddered at the contact.

"Zoro, please," she murmured as his hands' grip on her hips tightened, "I need you."

He buried his face in her neck as he growled his response, entering her with one quick upward thrust, both of them groaning at the sensation.

"Damn, Tiri," he grunted, "So tight…"

He stilled immediately, placing soft kisses against the flesh of her neck as they waited for her body to adjust. This wasn't her first time, but it had been a long while since she had been this intimate with anyone and her body told the tale. After several heartbeats, she wiggled her hips and his grip tightened, trying to keep her immobile. He pulled back slowly, sliding inch by torturous inch until he had almost completely left the sheath of her body and she felt bereft, achingly empty. Then he moved forward again, filling her to the hilt with a groan. It apparently had been a long time for him too.

She stroked hands through his damp hair, the coolness of the water nothing compared to the heated friction of their bodies. As he moved, she met him, together finding a tempo that slowly built in speed, a rhythm to a dance that was as old as time itself. She could feel the wave cresting in her core, hands roaming the broad expanse of his shoulders, lips finding his blindly as she tightened around his length. Suddenly, he shifted her higher and the thrusts came deeper, faster, nearly throwing her over the edge as light burst behind her closed eyelids, wave after wave ripping through her body as she called out his name.

Her climax triggered his, as he thrust erratically a few more times before pulling out completely, releasing his seed against the flesh of her stomach, her name passing his lips in a grunt. Panting heavily, he leaned his forehead against hers, both of them trying to find their breath. She felt boneless and was immensely grateful for the support of both wall and the swordsman.

"A witch, indeed," he muttered with a small smile, making her laugh softly.

"Perhaps. I'd never admit it if I was."

He snorted at her, but was still smiling when she pressed her lips to his quietly. Willing her body to move, she disentangled herself from him, sliding down his body and quickly turning to rinse away the new layer of sweat and scent of sex. She filled the room with the fragrance of lilacs, feeling refreshed despite the icy coldness of the water's temperature. She felt warm hands on her waist though and lips nuzzling against the skin at the nape of her neck.

"I could get used to that scent," he said quietly, making a warm bubble pop in her chest. That was about as sweet a comment as he was ever going to say to her, so she took it in the spirit it was meant, turning off the cold water and guiding him out of the shower.

She swiftly pulled her fluffy towel to her and scrubbed away the cold before offering the cloth to the swordsman. He took at and she quickly tugged her nightshift over her head. He wrapped the towel around his waist before tugging her back against him, causing gooseflesh to erupt across her flesh.

"My clothes are wet," he stated unobtrusively, but his tone made the simple statement have layers of meaning that her mind immediately started processing.

"Leave them and come on, Bonehead," she replied with a flush, "I'm too cold to sleep alone tonight."

His voice in her ear made her tingle all the way back to her room.

"Who said a damned thing about sleeping, witch?"


	9. Chapter 9

Honestly, no man should have that kind of stamina.

Tiri winced a little as the sun peeked through her window. She had told Zoro that she was too cold to sleep alone that night, but snow would have been welcome around her the last few days. The heat was oppressive and she wondered when they would find cooler weather. Hopefully, it would be soon, her temper was beginning to fray. Tiri pushed the stray lavender curls out of her eyes and sat up, kicking away the sheets sticking to her body. The soft snoring at her side had a small smile curving her lips as she glanced over. Silvery orbs outlined a path from the mess of moss tinted hair down the muscled expanse of his broad back, the tapering of narrow hips to the slight swell of his amazing backside that still had the faint trace of a bite mark, the memory bringing color to her cheeks.

Idly, she trailed slender fingers through the green strands and he mumbled, rolling onto his back and cracking open his good eye.

"Good morning," she greeted hum softly and he grumbled at her, making her chuckle the reply, "Someone doesn't like them, I see."

She was in a teasing mood, but she withdrew her hand, resisting the devilish urge she had to discover if there was anywhere on that chiseled frame that was ticklish. Instead, a truly wicked idea had occurred to her; a guarantee that the bonehead would have a much more lenient attitude towards mornings in the future.

A sinful glint was reflected in her silvery eyes as she slipped back the covers, pulling them down as different smells floated on the air to fill her nostrils, breathing in the scent of steel and the soap she had used last night. Slowly, she scooted down the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping swordsman, at least, not yet. With a silent motion, she straddled his legs, wary of touching any part of his body. Satisfied with her placement, she braced with one hand and lifted the other with an evil smile.

She brushed her fingertips along the top of his thigh, enjoying the reaction of the contraction of his muscles even in sleep. Her clever fingers traced a path up across his hip, up to his powerfully built abdomen, caressing across the defined muscles she found there. His manhood twitched as she dragged the digits downward gently. She saw his eyelashes flutter slightly as her fingertips ghosted across his skin, his length hardening even in sleep at her touch.

Her fingers encircled the velvety flesh, stroking it with hardly a whisper of contact. Tiri felt her smile turn into a grin as she watched it come to full attention at her ministrations and she flicked her eyes upwards to ensure that he was still sleeping. His chest rose and fell in deep, even breaths, both arms tucked beneath his head as he slumbered. Still smirking a little, she lowered her head, letting her lips graze against the tip, tracing down the length to the base, back up again. He made a deep, rumbling sound and she immediately withdrew, removing all contact with his body.

He grew quiet once more and she wetted her lips, pursing them to blow softly against his rapidly heating flesh, before her tongue slipped past her lips to flick against the head. She repeated the motion, letting the tip of her tongue slid down the length, mimicking the path of her lips. The swordsman let out a growl, his hips thrusting up in the barest of motions and she pulled away, biting her lip. When he stilled again, she resumed her torturous teasing, finally raising her head enough to swirl her wickedly clever tongue around the tip, pulling it into the heat of her mouth in a slow, languid motion.

Tiri's eyes remained fixed on his face as she eased her lips around the wide length of him, taking him further and further, allowing her teeth to just scarcely scrape against the velvety hardness. Achingly unhurried, she slid up again, till just the very tip of him remained against her lips. Zoro threw his arm down, fingers entangling in her hair as his eye snapped open with an animalistic groan. She resisted his firm demand against the back of her head and chuckled softly.

"Feeling a little more charitable towards mornings now?" she asked huskily, desire's embers fluttering low in her belly before warming her cheeks.

"I won't if you stop," he growled down at her and she complied with his insistent hand, lowering her head to once again engulf him in her heated mouth.

Her head bobbed over him, refusing to quicken the pace despite his low voice causing a shiver to chase down her spine at his promise of retribution if she didn't speed up. Wanting to push him further, she suddenly sucked lightly on his length, relishing the hiss of breath that escaped through clenched teeth at the action. She kept the pressure, sliding down, then back up at the same deliberate speed, a feeling of feminine power surging through her body at the roughed, strained timbre of his speech as he encouraged her, apparently deciding on a change of tactic.

Finally, though, she relented, quickening her movements, feeling the pulsing of his body becoming harder and faster, until, with a barely audible growl of warning, he exploded past her lips and she swiftly swallowed, thoroughly pleased with herself.

She sat back on her haunches, a smug grin curving her lips as he attempted to catch his breath. His good eye locked on her silvery ones and before she really knew what was happening, she was flat on her back, her arms pinned at her sides and a very naked, very confidant swordsman looming over her.

"What makes you think I'm finished, witch?" he asked in a dangerous tone, the glint in his eye making blood rush to her cheeks.

Releasing one arm, he held her down with his larger frame as he reached over the edge of her bunk, retrieving a dark scrap of cloth and she recognized it as the bandana he always had tied around his bicep. With one hand, he tied it around his head and her eyes widened; he was deadly serious about this. Zoro leaned closer, her breasts brushing against his chest as he placed his lips close to her ear.

"You, idiot, ignored my warning, so you do realize that this is going to be completely about revenge," he murmured, gooseflesh erupting across her body at the statement.

His hand had somehow snaked down between them as she was distracted and she was startled to feel his thumb quite suddenly applying a light pressure to the bundle of nerves near her center as he slipped a single finger between her folds. He crooked it upwards as he inserted, then pulled back, creating a friction that had her squirming beneath him. His lips captured hers then, the thrust of his tongue matching that of his finger, making Tiri feel as if she was losing a fragile grip on sanity as her eyes fluttered shut. Without warning, his hand was removed and she moaned in protest, even as his mouth left hers to trace a heated trail down the slopes of her breasts, his tongue dancing against the soft skin of her stomach.

Her own hands twisted in the sheets at her sides as she felt a warm of breath against her mound and his lips nibbling at the tender flesh of her inner thigh. Then his tongue plunged between the folds of her womanhood and she cried out at the sensation. Her hips were moving of their own accord and he wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her still as the other slipped its digits to torment her further. She was quickly approaching the precipice, her throaty moans egging him on, but just when she felt the ripples of pleasure intensifying, he stopped. Instead, he began placing open-mouth kisses against the flesh of her torso, crawling up her body until his lips hovered over hers.

She met his kiss, tasting herself on his lips, the knowledge making them both groan heatedly. He broke away from her with a smirk and she scowled up at him.

"That was hardly, fair, Bonehead."

"Wasn't meant to be," he muttered, sliding his once again hard length against her slick center.

She lifted her hips, but he withdrew a little away from her and she bit her lip in frustration, making him chuckle. The swordsman bent his head again, his mouth blazing down her body to claim one coral bud, suckling and swirling his tongue around it, making her back arch.

"Say it," he ground out when he lifted his head as she panted beneath him, the ache at her core nearly intolerable.

"Zoro," she breathed huskily and he grunted in approval, entering her in one quick thrust.

She cried out again, her hands rising to clutch at his shoulders as his arms encircled her, pulling her body to him as he began to move. His pace was merciless in its speed and power. Zoro buried his face in the crook of her neck as she bit into the hard flesh of his shoulder, her inner muscles tightening around him as he pounded relentlessly into her, sweat glistening in a fine sheen over their bodies. Her first climax ripped through her like a tsunami, sweeping her higher and higher as she bucked against him.

As she tried to catch her breath, he finally slowed, his strokes remaining powerful, but steady. Tiri turned her head, peppering his jaw with kisses until he met her lips with his. He lifted her then, her legs straddling over his lap as he kept moving inside her. She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck as one of his hands slid up her spine to cup the back of her neck. It was a gesture of tenderness as he deepened the kiss, coaxing the heat of her desire to flare, to burn as hotly as his.

"Tiri," he murmured, the way he spoke her name laced with deeper meaning that she understood without him ever having to say the words.

She was dancing along the edge of a sword, holding out with the strength of barely a fingernail, feeling him pulsing deep within her with his tight restraint. Neither was willing to give first, but, despite the sensations roiling through her, she curled her lips into a devilish smile. Tiri rolled her hips in a way that made him growl and clamp his hands on her hips to keep them still. She refused to be dictated, however, and rolled them again, and again, faster and faster, finding a rhythm that complimented the movement of his hips, sending them both spiraling over the edge with a mutual cry.

He grunted as she contracted around him, spilling into her as she tightened around him, his name tumbling past her lips like a prayer. Exhausted, they collapsed next to one another as he slipped out of her, though he wrapped an arm around her waist and tucked her back into his chest, his nose buried in her hair. Tiri grinned, despite her tiredness. At this rate, morning may be good, but it would be afternoon before they ever got up.

* * *

><p>Tiri stretched sore muscles, the ache delicious after a fashion. It was very late in the morning as she finally crawled from her bed. Idly, she quietly pulled on some clothes and tiptoed out of the room, shutting the door gently behind her. With a light step and a fond smile, she easily climbed up to the crow's nest, pulling herself up through the hatch. Sunshine had warmed the room to the point that the curls of her hair clung to her neck and face as if she had just climbed out of a shower instead of bed. Idly, she twisted the lavender strands into a loose ponytail, sighing with relief when the mass lifted from her neck, a wash of cooler air a brief reprieve.<p>

Tugging at the hem of her t-shirt, she tied the material into a large knot just under her rib cage and grinned. Now, she could begin. Stepping to the center of the room, she began some of the exercises Zoro had taught her, pleased to find many of them having already found their way into her muscle memory. With that knowledge, her movements sped up, punch, sidestep, hard right kick, the motions became a blur as Tiri practiced.

The sun reached its zenith and she still kept at it, a frown turning her lips downwards. She was far from being on the same level as the swordsman, but she had made some progress in her strength, the muscles of her arms having become more defined after their weeks of training.

Finally, the heat was what defeated her and she retreated back down to the deck, swiping the stray curls that insisted on sticking to her face. She sat on the railing of the Sunny Go, fishing a small packet of papers out of her pocket. The wind fluttered their edges as she slowly leafed through them, the words on the pages meaningless to her. Perhaps that was what was so troubling.

"Oi, Tiri-chan, what have you got there?"

She turned, spotting a bent blonde head, long fingers holding a cigarette to his lips while the other cupped a match against the wind to lit it. She smiled sadly, the slightly tattered sheets held loosely in her fingers.

"A past that should hold more meaning to me than it does," she answered flatly, as he stepped closer, a stream of smoke escaping past his lips.

"You love being cryptic, don't you?" he chuckled quietly, though his eyes showed some concern at the tone of her voice.

She shook her head with that same smile.

"Not especially, no, I suppose I just enjoy waxing poetic. Part of-"

"Being a flower girl, so I've heard. When are you going to stop using that ability of yours as an excuse?"

She jerked back like he had slapped her.

"What?"

He blew out another stream of smoke, flicking the finished butt into the sea and immediately lighting another.

"I mean, you are poetic. And you make music, you live in a library…I suppose I'm asking when you're going to accept that you are you, regardless of the devil fruit."

She tilted her head, silvery eyes far away as she considered his question. It was unlike Sanji to be so blunt, but he deserved an answer. She remained silent, however, for several heartbeats, groping through her mind for the words.

"I was never one to look back, when I left something behind…or someone. I'm not entirely certain whether that's a part of my nature or the circumstances of my life, but it's true either way," she began, then took a breath, her brow furrowed as memories floated by in her mind's eye.

Sanji regarded her quietly, his hands in his pockets.

"From what I've been told, my parents were loving people, my father a shrewd business man. He had made a small fortune, purchasing an estate on the very island where I met you guys. But, he lost it, unfairly, I suspect. He and my mother both died not long after I was born. A local shopkeeper took me in, though I think I gave her more grey hairs than she bargained for," she said with a laugh.

"Of that, I have no doubt," the cook answered, closing his eyes with a quiet laugh.

"I was unruly," Tiri replied with a grin, "I believe was the word she liked to use. At any rate, the fate of my parents wasn't exactly a secret and I found I had…nimble fingers, shall we say. And I was light on my feet. I'm sure you can deduce where I'm going with this?"

"You stole the deed to your father's estate," he said with a crooked grin.

"So I did and here they are. The question, though, is what are they even worth to me?"

Even as she asked the question, she looked down at the documents in her lap, finger tracing over the signatures on the last page.

"I don't even know which of these could be my father's name," she murmured, lifting her hand to look at the papers in the intense sunlight.

"You don't know it?"

"No."

They were both silent after that for a long time. Sanji stepped closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she stared out over the water and she leaned her head against him companionably. Tiri watched images from her childhood drift before her eyes.

_The beating she took after her first climb. _

_Adrenaline pumped through her body after her first successful burglary and she ran into the man who stole her first kiss that same day. _

_Rain pattered against the street outside her window as she hopped out of it, bidding goodbye to the only home she had ever known._

Without a word, she uncurled her fingers and the white sheaves floated on the breeze to the water, landing delicately on the surface before sinking into the depths.

"That couldn't have been easy," she heard Sanji's voice near her ear, but she shook her head.

"It was never real to me, Sanji-kun. Why hold on to that which means so little in the long run? Besides, this is home for me now. And it's a lot nicer than where I came from."

She lifted her head and saw him grinning at her fondly, before he reached out a hand and ruffled her curls, causing strands to escape and stream around her face.

"Oi," she grouched irritably, shoving the errant curls back with an impatient hand, "What am I, nine?"

"Hardly," was the light response but before she could say anything else, she heard the disgruntled voice of the swordsman drift their way.

"Oye, ero-cook, what's the idea of having your hands on my witch?"

Tiri groaned and covered her eyes with a hand. Why did the man have to say something that both warmed her insides and made her want to throttle him at the same time? Sanji's eyes were narrowed however, his voice dangerously low.

"Cut it out, you shitty marimo. Tiri-chan would never give you any reason to worry."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode towards the galley, Tiri's grateful smile following his retreating back. Zoro walked over to her and gave her his usual grumpy look.

"What?" she asked.

He didn't answer right away, instead leaning down, tipping back her head, and capturing her lips in a quick, but heated kiss. One hand fisted in her curls while the other's thumb caressed the curve of her jaw. Tiri's mind blanked while butterflies erupted in her stomach. Good God, his lips were sinful. He pulled back slightly, his good eye focusing sharply on her silver ones.

"Mine," he murmured quietly, stroking the soft skin of her cheek and it was her turn to lift a brow.

"Do you really think you're the only one that gets to say that, Bonehead?"

"If I did, I wouldn't want you around past last night."

She glared at him, conveying that she clearly believed he could have worded that better, but she nodded.

"What were you and the curly-cook talking about?" he asked after he had settled in beside her, his forearms braced on the railing.

"To be honest, nothing of dire importance," she said truthfully. Her past was not something that held any significance to her.

He seemed to accept that and she decided that there would come a day when she cared to speak of it to him. At the moment, it held little bearing on them and she already felt much lighter in spirit having let go of what never really had been. Affectionately, she ran slender fingers through the short strands of green hair and he grunted at her. She looked over, seeing that both his eyes were closed and she smiled. Then her hand stilled, sliding down to stroke along the hard line of his jaw and he looked over at her. She bit her lip.

"Hey Zoro…what are we? You and I, I mean?"

He gave her a pointed look.

"Are you really going to make me have this conversation with you?"

She rose from her perch, and stood beside him. He turned until they were face-to-face and then she nodded. He didn't respond at first, looking down into her features seriously.

"I'm not sure what this is, but," he finally said, his voice rough with an emotion she could understand as he lifted a hand to pull her hair free from its confines.

"But," she finished with a crooked grin, "the word 'nakama' just doesn't cover it."

"Yeah, I guess that about says it."

He snorted then and she tilted her head questioningly.

"You're going to make my life very interesting, witch."

"Bet on it," she whispered, recognizing the meaning that was hiding just behind those words and leaning her forehead against his chest as his hands settled on her hips.

The sun was beginning to set. His hands moved, one pulling her closer at her back while the other entangled itself in the lavender curls. The scent of steel mingled with the scent of lilacs and the sea. Tiri breathed it in. She could accept herself like this, knowing that she had a place to always return to.

As she lifted her head, looking up into his good eye, parts of her hair drifted away in the breeze, petals that fluttered down to land softly on the hilts of his swords. She watched them with a small smile, reading a sign that may or may not have been intended.

Petals on the blade.

~_FIN_~

…for now…

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: And that's the final chapter, my luvs! At least, for the moment. If enough people show interest, I'll probably more than likely start writing for this again. As it stands, thank you all who followed, favorited, and left me those lovely reviews! Let me know if you'd like me to continue this, I do have some more ideas on where this story could go, but, until next time!_**

**_Love,_**

**_Silvergryphon_**


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